Trends in cigarette smoking among adolescents and adults in South Korea

Abstract

This report is to examine changes in the smoking prevalence among adults and adolescents and provide basic data for national health policies. Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1998 to 2013 and Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey from 2005 to 2013 were used to estimate national adults and adolescents smoking prevalence. In 2013, current cigarette smoking prevalence among male adults and female adults was 42.1% and 6.2%, decreasing by 1.6% points and 1.7% points, respectively compared to 2012. Among adolescents, current cigarette smoking prevalence was 14.4% for male and 4.6% for female students, decreasing by 1.9%points and 1.3%points, respectively compared to 2012. The highest current cigarette smoking prevalence was observed among adults of lower household income or lower education level and among middle and high school students of lower perceived household economic status or lower perceived academic records. Current cigarette smoking prevalence among male adults has decreased since 2011, whereas among female adults, there were no statistically significant annual changes. Among middle and high school students, the prevalence for male students decreased since 2011 and for female students decreased since 2006. But the smoking prevalence did not meet the Health Plan 2020 target.

Keywords: Adolescents; Adults; Cigarette smoking; South Korea.

Figure 1.

Trends in prevalence of current cigarette smoking^1,2 in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 1998 to 2013, and Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey during 2005 to 2013. Proportions of adults were calculated using the direct standardization method and was based on a 2005 population projection. ¹Adults (aged 19 years and older except for 1998 [20 years and older]; age-adjusted): percentage of adults who had smoked at least 5 packs of cigarettes (100 cigarettes) during their lifetime and who are currently smokers. ²Adolescents (aged 13–18 years except for 2005 [13–17 years]): percentage of students who smoked more than 1 day during the past 30 days.

Figure 2.

Trends in prevalence of secondhand smoke exposure at home^1,2 in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 1998 to 2013, and Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey during 2006 to 2013. Proportions of adults were calculated using the direct standardization method and was based on a 2005 population projection. ¹Adults (aged 19 years and older; age-standardized): percentage of current non-smokers who were exposed to cigarette smoke at home (2013: during the past 7 days). ²Adolescents (aged 13-18 years): percentage of students who were exposed to secondhand smoke at home on more than 1 day during the past 7 days.

Figure 3.

Trends in prevalence of secondhand smoke exposure in workplace¹ in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 2005 to 2013. Proportions were calculated using the direct standardization method and was based on a 2005 population projection. ¹Adults (aged 19 years and older; age-standardized): percentage of current non-smokers who were exposed to cigarette smoke in workplace (2013: during the past 7 days).