Drinking and Its Relationship with Smoking

This study examines the drinking behaviors and the relationship between drinking and smoking behaviors among some Korean university students. A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted in May, 2006. A total of 1,163 students(715 male and 448 female) completed questionnaires, who were randomly selected in a university in Gyeongsangbuk-Do, Korea. The overall drinking and smoking rates for male subjects were 88.7% and 37.2%, and those for females were 83.5% and 2.2%, respectively. Among the male drinkers 39.9% smoked, while 16.0% of the male non-drinkers were smokers. As male drinkers drink more often, heavier amount per drinking episode, even on a binge, their smoking rate was high. The subjects reported there was positive reinforcement between drinking and smoking behaviors. Consequently, the drinking rate of university students of Korea was relatively high, especially for male students drinking behavior was strongly correlated with smoking behavior. Health promotion programs should be targeted at university students considering drinking and smoking behaviors simultaneously.