Smoking among East Asian college students: prevalence and correlates

OBJECTIVES: To compare the prevalence and correlates of cigarette smoking among East Asian college students.
METHODS: Data were collected from college students (N=16,558) in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan (response rate: 78%).
RESULTS: Religion was independently associated with college students' smoking in China (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.82) and South Korea (AOR = 0.80). Being a heavy drinker and having a higher exposure to secondhand smoke were associated with higher smoking rates (Ps < .001).
CONCLUSIONS: The East Asian economies show a varied prevalence of college smoking but a similar pattern of relationship with its correlates.
Study site: 21 institutions in 6 East Asian economies: 3 colleges each from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea; 4 colleges from Taiwan; and 5 colleges from China.