@article { author = {Agu, Chinwendu F and Weaver, Steve and Abel, Wendel and Rae, Tania and Oshi, Sarah and Whitehorne-Smith, Patrice and Ukwaja, Kingsley and Ricketts-Roomes, Tana and Meka, Ijeoma and Oshi, Daniel C}, title = {Are Adolescents likely to Start Smoking Early if Their Parents are Smokers? A Study of Jamaican High School Students}, journal = {Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention}, volume = {19}, number = {S1}, pages = {25-31}, year = {2018}, publisher = {West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter.}, issn = {1513-7368}, eissn = {2476-762X}, doi = {10.22034/APJCP.2018.19.S1.25}, abstract = {Background: The prevalence of cigarette smoking is high among adolescents in the Caribbean, including Jamaica.Age of initiation of cigarette smoking varies among adolescents. A number of factors has been reported to influenceearly age of initiation of cigarette smoking. The aim of this study was to determine if parental smoking status wasassociated with early age of onset of cigarette smoking among Jamaican adolescents. Methods: Data from the JamaicanNational School Survey (NSS) conducted in 2013 were analysed. The nationally representative sample comprisedof 3,365 students enrolled in 8th grade to 12th grade in 38 public and private secondary schools. Descriptive andinferential statistics were computed using SPSS. Results: The mean age of initiation of cigarette smoking among thesubjects was 12.4years [SD: 2.69]. There was no significant association between parental cigarette smoking status andthe age of initiation of cigarette smoking among the adolescents (female X2 = 0.753, P = 0.861; male X2 = 6.953, P =0.073). Logistic regression analysis showed that parental smoking status was not a predictor of early age of initiationof cigarette smoking among the adolescents (father/ guardian AOR= 0.81, 95% CI= 0.56- 1.11; mother/guardian AOR=0.96, 95% CI= 0.44 – 2.10; both parent AOR= 0.49, 95%CI= 0.22- 1.07). However, having a parent with secondaryeducation was a risk factor for early initiation of smoking (AOR= 1.71, 95%CI= 1.13-2.57), while being in 8thgrade was a protective factor against early age of initiation of cigarette smoking (AOR= 0.43, 95% CI= 0.23 - 0.80).Conclusion: Parental smoking cigarette smoking status was not a predictor of early age of cigarette smoking initiationamong Jamaican adolescents.}, keywords = {Cigarette smoking,parental smoking status,age of initiation,adolescents,Jamaica}, url = {https://journal.waocp.org/article_60400.html}, eprint = {https://journal.waocp.org/article_60400_5b60adc49cf208534d526157c01c333c.pdf} }