1. Toothbrushing and smoking among adolescents - aggregation of health damaging behaviours.
- Author
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Honkala, Sisko, Honkala, Eino, Newton, Tim, and Rimpelä, Arja
- Subjects
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ANALYSIS of variance , *CHI-squared test , *COMPUTER software , *EPIDEMIOLOGY , *SELF-injurious behavior , *SMOKING , *STATISTICS , *SURVEYS , *TOOTH care & hygiene , *LOGISTIC regression analysis , *SAMPLE size (Statistics) , *DATA analysis , *SECONDARY analysis , *STATISTICAL significance , *ADOLESCENCE ,RESEARCH evaluation - Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether an association exists between daily smoking and infrequent toothbrushing habits among adolescents. Materials and Methods: Nationally representative samples of 14-, 16- and 18-year-old Finns (N = 5643) took part in the survey. A 12-page structured questionnaire was posted to the adolescents, asking them to complete it and return it in an enclosed prepaid envelope. The χ²-test and a logistic regression model were used for analyses. Results: At the age of 14 years, 8.5% reported smoking daily, at 16 years 25.0% and at 18 years 33.2%. Only 28.3-54.7% of the adolescents reported brushing their teeth more than once a day. Among 14-year-olds, 6.5% of the adolescents reported both smoking daily and brushing less than twice a day. The respective figures were 17.7% for the 16-year-olds and 21.6% for the 18-year-olds. Among the 14-year-olds, the strongest association with smoking daily and brushing less than twice a day was found with low school performance (OR = 8.2), and among 16- and 18-year-olds school career (studying at a vocational school, OR = 3.4). Conclusion: Daily smoking and infrequent toothbrushing are strongly associated in adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
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