Parental smoking is associated with adolescent loneliness: evidence from 71 low- and middle-income countries

IntroductionThe association between parental smoking and adolescent mental health is not well understood. We aimed to examine the association between parental smoking and adolescent loneliness using global data collected from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) between 2009 and 2019...

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Main Authors: Jintang Xie, Hui Yang, Min Zhao, Costan G. Magnussen, Bo Xi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1497136/full
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author Jintang Xie
Hui Yang
Min Zhao
Costan G. Magnussen
Costan G. Magnussen
Costan G. Magnussen
Bo Xi
author_facet Jintang Xie
Hui Yang
Min Zhao
Costan G. Magnussen
Costan G. Magnussen
Costan G. Magnussen
Bo Xi
author_sort Jintang Xie
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionThe association between parental smoking and adolescent mental health is not well understood. We aimed to examine the association between parental smoking and adolescent loneliness using global data collected from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) between 2009 and 2019.MethodsA total of 187,552 adolescents aged 12–15 years in 71 low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) from the GSHS with cross-sectional design were included in this study. Loneliness was defined as feeling lonely sometimes or more frequently in the past 12 months. Parental smoking, reported by the adolescent, was defined as the use of any form of tobacco by the father and/or mother. Logistic regression models were used to examine the odds ratio (OR) of adolescent loneliness according to parental smoking status.ResultsCompared with neither parent smoking, parental smoking was associated with adolescent loneliness (father only: OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.10–1.26; mother only: OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.15–1.67; both: OR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.41–1.93) after adjustment for potential covariates. Subgroup analyses stratified by sex, age, and WHO region showed similar results (except not in the African and Western Pacific regions).DiscussionParental smoking is associated with loneliness in adolescents from LMIC. Our finding expands the well-known physical damage of parental smoking in adolescents to the psychological damage. Strict policies and strategies should be established to encourage smoking cessation for parents who are current smokers.
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spelling doaj-art-c704a04d6e194297b8a2ca3c012c6eab2025-08-20T03:04:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-02-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.14971361497136Parental smoking is associated with adolescent loneliness: evidence from 71 low- and middle-income countriesJintang Xie0Hui Yang1Min Zhao2Costan G. Magnussen3Costan G. Magnussen4Costan G. Magnussen5Bo Xi6Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, ChinaDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, ChinaDepartment of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, ChinaBaker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaResearch Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, FinlandCentre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, FinlandDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, ChinaIntroductionThe association between parental smoking and adolescent mental health is not well understood. We aimed to examine the association between parental smoking and adolescent loneliness using global data collected from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) between 2009 and 2019.MethodsA total of 187,552 adolescents aged 12–15 years in 71 low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) from the GSHS with cross-sectional design were included in this study. Loneliness was defined as feeling lonely sometimes or more frequently in the past 12 months. Parental smoking, reported by the adolescent, was defined as the use of any form of tobacco by the father and/or mother. Logistic regression models were used to examine the odds ratio (OR) of adolescent loneliness according to parental smoking status.ResultsCompared with neither parent smoking, parental smoking was associated with adolescent loneliness (father only: OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.10–1.26; mother only: OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.15–1.67; both: OR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.41–1.93) after adjustment for potential covariates. Subgroup analyses stratified by sex, age, and WHO region showed similar results (except not in the African and Western Pacific regions).DiscussionParental smoking is associated with loneliness in adolescents from LMIC. Our finding expands the well-known physical damage of parental smoking in adolescents to the psychological damage. Strict policies and strategies should be established to encourage smoking cessation for parents who are current smokers.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1497136/fulllonelinessadolescenttobacco usemental healthparental smoking
spellingShingle Jintang Xie
Hui Yang
Min Zhao
Costan G. Magnussen
Costan G. Magnussen
Costan G. Magnussen
Bo Xi
Parental smoking is associated with adolescent loneliness: evidence from 71 low- and middle-income countries
Frontiers in Public Health
loneliness
adolescent
tobacco use
mental health
parental smoking
title Parental smoking is associated with adolescent loneliness: evidence from 71 low- and middle-income countries
title_full Parental smoking is associated with adolescent loneliness: evidence from 71 low- and middle-income countries
title_fullStr Parental smoking is associated with adolescent loneliness: evidence from 71 low- and middle-income countries
title_full_unstemmed Parental smoking is associated with adolescent loneliness: evidence from 71 low- and middle-income countries
title_short Parental smoking is associated with adolescent loneliness: evidence from 71 low- and middle-income countries
title_sort parental smoking is associated with adolescent loneliness evidence from 71 low and middle income countries
topic loneliness
adolescent
tobacco use
mental health
parental smoking
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1497136/full
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