조경숙

보건복지부 질병관리본부 국립제주검역소

Background: The intention among Korean youth smokers to smoke consistently even after tobacco prices may
rise in the future may be associated with tobacco dependence.
Methods: Data for 8,988 Korean youth smokers from the 2011 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey
were used in this study. A chi-square test was used to analyze smoking behavior changes after increase in tobacco
price by socioeconomic characteristics, tobacco-related characteristics, and quality of life-related
characteristics. Logistic regression was used to assess the factors related to existing smokers' intention to
smoke consistently should tobacco price increase in the future.
Results: Of all smoking adolescents, 26.6% had no intention to quit smoking even if the tobacco price were to
rise in the future. Logistic regression analysis showed the following significant factors related to intention to
continue smoking after an increase in price: age (odds ratio [OR], 0.93), amount of smoking (2-9 vs. ≤1 cigarettes
per day OR, 2.58, ≥10 vs. ≤1 cigarettes per day OR, 4.84), daily smoker (OR, 2.73), experience with
electronic cigarette (OR, 1.17), attempt to quit smoking (no vs. yes OR, 2.32), age at trying to smoke (before or
at elementary vs. high school OR, 1.31), exposure to anti-smoking campaign (no vs. yes OR, 1.20), anti-smoking
education (no vs. yes OR, 1.21), happiness (low vs. high OR, 1.31), depression (OR, 1.13), and suicidal ideations
(OR, 1.30).
Conclusions: Those with the intention to continue to smoke even after an increase in tobacco price have high
tobacco dependence. Therefore, policy makers need to enforce not only price policies but also those unrelated
to price, such as smoking cessation programs to help youth smokers quit smoking.

Korean J Health Promot 2013;13(1):34-41
Keywords: Smoking, Quit smoking, Intention to quit, Intention to smoke, Tobacco price