The predictors of adolescents’ smoking in Egypt, the global youth tobacco survey findings

Figures & data

Figure 1. Prevalence of current use of tobacco among Egyptian adolescents aged 13–15, by gender, 2001–2014

Source: (DOUS, 2001; WHO & CDC, 2005, 2014b; WHO & CDC & CDC, 2009)

Table 1. Individual and family related factors that influence adolescent smoking

	Ever smoking				Current smoking
Explanatory variables (independent)	Odds’ ratio			Confidence interval	Odds’ ratio	Confidence interval
Age
13 years	Reference category
14 years	2.632			2.596 − 2.668	0.802	0.760 − 0.845
15 years	1.893			1.867 − 1.918	4.756	4.545 − 4.976
Gender
Female	Reference category
Male	2.679			2.650 − 2.709	2.926	2.807 − 3.052
Fathers’ education
University	Reference category
Illiterate	9.519			9.293 − 9.749	0.099	0.090 − 0.109
Read/ write/Primary/Preparatory	8.055			7.885–8.227	0.630	0.579 − 0.685
Secondary /diploma	2.518			2.472–2.565	0.311	0.290 − 0.334
Don’t know	13.586			13.26–13.92	1.008	0.897 − 1.132
Mothers’ education
Illiterate	Reference category
Read/ write/Primary/Preparatory	0.655			0.646 − 0.664	0.005	0.005 − 0.006
Secondary /diploma	0.792			0.778 − 0.807	0.211	0.196 − 0.227
University	0.144			0.140 − 0.149	0.136	0.118 − 0.157
Don’t know	0.467			0.455 − 0.480	0.215	0.194–0.237
Having pocket money per week (Egyptian Pounds)
I usually don’t have any pocket money	Reference category
Have money less than 5 pounds	2.646			2.575 − 2.720	0.081	0.074 − 0.089
Have 5 − 50 pounds	1.442			1.403–1.483	0.049	0.045 − 0.054
More than 50 pounds	0.539			0.518 − 0.560	0.454	0.411 − 0.502
Smoking consequences were ever discussed with family members
No	Reference category
Yes	1.312			1.297 − 1.327	4.665	4.483 − 4.85
Beliefs that smoking tobacco is harmful to health
Definitely not		Reference category
Not sure		0.104	0.101 − 0.106		0.014		0.013 − 0.015
Definitely yes		0.350	0.344 − 0.355		1.056		1.013 − 1.100
Beliefs that it is safe to smoke tobacco for only a year or two as long as you quit
Definitely yes		Reference category
Not sure		0.911	0.895 − 0.927		0.301		0.280 − 0.324
Definitely no		1.057	1.036–1.078		0.303		0.283 − 0.325
Do you think young people who smoke more or less attractive
No difference		Reference category
Less attractive		4.546	4.463 − 4.631		2.670		2.482 − 2.872
More attractive		1.477	1.457 − 1.497		1.275		1.212 − 1.342
Do you think tobacco make people more or less comfortable in celebrating parties
No difference		Reference category
Less comfortable		3.460	3.412 − 3.508		5.649		5.368 − 5.945
More comfortable		1.837	1.812 − 1.863		88.448		83.42–93.8
Beliefs that it is difficult to quit once one has started smoking
Definitely no		Reference category
Not sure		2.626	2.596 − 2.657		16.212		15.31 − 17.17
Definitely yes		0.749	0.734 − 0.764		2.748		2.537 − 2.977

Table 2. Adolescents’ smoking and friends-related factors

Explanatory variables (independent)	Ever smoking		Current smoking
	Odds’ ratio	Confidence interval	Odds’ ratio	Confidence interval
If one of your best friends offered you tobacco product, would you use it?
Definitely not	Reference category
Not sure	2.726	2.682 − 2.770	28.578	26.025–30.273
Definitely yes	3.355	3.256 − 3.456	254.111	240.01 − 270.1
Do you think young people who smoke have more or less friends
No difference	Reference category
Less friends	0.931	0.919 − 0.944	3.111	2.937 − 3.295
More friends	0.279	0.275 − 0.284	2.593	2.444 − 2.751

Table 3. Schools-related factors and smoking by adolescent in Egypt

Explanatory variables (independent)	Ever smoking		Current smoking
	Odds’ ratio	Confidence interval	Odds’ ratio	Confidence interval
Were you taught in schools about smoking harms, during the past 12 months?
No	Reference category
Yes	0.923	0.912–0.934	0.366	0.351 − 0.382
I don’t know	1.115	1.099 − 1.132	0.087	0.082 − 0.093
During school hours, how often you see your teacher smoke
Never	Reference category
Sometimes	3.696	3.617 − 3.777	1.228	1.11 − 1.36
About every day	4.963	4.862 − 5.067	31.98	29.29 − 34.93
Don’t know	8.496	8.294 − 8.702	217.07	195.81 − 240.7
Can you purchase tobacco near your school
No	Reference category
Yes	2.410	2.370 − 2.452	52.694	49.199 − 56.44
I don’t know	1.580	1.560 − 1.600	115.173	107.05 − 123.9
Did anyone refuse to sell cigarette because of the age in the past 30 days
Yes, someone refused	Reference category
No one refused	62.333	60.17 − 64.58	65.727	60.47 − 71.44
I didn’t buy cigarette in the past 30 days	2.444	2.380 − 2.510	0.111	0.103 − 0.120

DOUS, N. M. (2001). Report of Global Youth Tobacco Survey. The National Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program, Ministry of Health and Population.

 Google Scholar

WHO & CDC. (2005). Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS): Fact sheet Egypt. World Health Organization Regional office for the Eastern Mediterranean.

 Google Scholar

WHO & CDC. (2014b). Global youth tobacco survey: Fact sheet egypt. World Health Organization Regional office for the Eastern Mediterranean.

 Google Scholar

WHO & CDC. 2009. Global youth tobacco survey: Egypt Fact sheet. CDC ed. Egypt World Health Organization Regional office for the Eastern Mediterranean.

 Google Scholar