Ling-Yen Pan, PhD, Division of Health Policy Research, National Health Research Institutes, 2F, 109, Ming-Chuan E. Road, Sec.6, Taipei, 114, Taiwan, +886-2-26534401ext6639, lyp@nhri.org.tw and Lee-Lan Yen, ScD, Institute of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Room 1522 No 1 Sec 1 Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, Taiwan.

In early childhood, family characteristics may play an important role in risk for smoking initiation. To explore how the family's characteristics and children's perceived family interaction influence the trial of smoking behavior, the current study used the data from "The Child and Adolescent Behaviors in Long-term Evolution", also known as CABLE study. It's a school-based survey involving eighteen elementary schools selected randomly from Taipei City and Hsin-Chu County, both were in the northern Taiwan. For those first and fourth graders whose guardian (most were parents) agreed them to participate in this project, a paper-and-pencil survey were conducted in class at the end of year 2001, and then followed up at the end of year 2002. The students were also requested to bring home another questionnaires for their parents (or guardians) to complete and handed in back on the next day. There were totally 3,961 students completed the questionnaires in successive years. 89.37% of them were never triers (has not try smoking before), 2.89% were new triers (those who reported never smoking in 2001 and having smoking experience in 2002), and 7.74% were continuous triers. The results from polytomous logistic regression showed that comparing to never triers, those who were male, living in Taipei City, higher birth order, having parents smoking, with fewer family support and with more punishment were more likely to be continuous triers. The findings suggest that parents' smoking status and family interaction do have influence on the trial of smoking for young children.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to know better about the relationship between family interaction and children's smoking behaviors.

Keywords: Smoking, Adolescents, International

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.