College Students’ Attitudes toward Cigarette Advertisement and Smoking Perception: Focusing on Sexual Difference

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Previous studies have shown that college students are exposed to smoking products and the dangers of smoking. However, little is known about the differences in smoking behavior by sex differences. Therefore, this study investigated the sex difference in smoking perceptions among college students.

Methods/Statistical analysis: The sample group (N=1,500) was selected from50 domestic colleges with equal quotas, takingaccount the size and region of the colleges based on the number of enrolled students. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with smoking status by sex. The threshold for statistical significance was 0.05 (two-tailed). The GFI (Goodnessof Fit Index) of the study model was evaluated by Hosmer & Lemeshow x2.

Findings:Male showed a negative attitude toward cigarette advertising in universities, but women were not significant. This is judged to be because most advertisements are focused on male non-smoker. Female non-smokers were in favor of the ban on cigarette sales in universities, but the male was not significant. This seems to be a negative reaction to the selling cigarette in cigarette stores and smoking in campus, as women have a low smoking rate and their peers rarely smoke. On the other hand, men are frequently exposed to the environment of smoking due to the large number of smokers around them. females were more aware of the danger and harmfulness of smoking more than men, which means the focus of banning-smoking policy should be put on male consumers rather than females. females lacked the awareness of smoking addiction. Current graphic images on cigarette packs warn against the diseases caused by smoking, yet it puts little stress on addiction warning as it is written in small letters. So, it is necessary to improve the graphic warnings on cigarette packages.

Improvements/Applications: Policymakers should come up with measures to prevent female from second-hand smoking, improve the graphic warnings on cigarette packs to raise men's awareness of the dangers of smoking and female's awareness of cigarette addiction.