الفهرس 
AcknowledgementOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Tobacco smoking, with its devasting effects on health is an example of a man made epidemic. Despite the widspread knowledge of harmful effects of tobacco use, adolescen~s continue to adopt I smoking habit. The present study was ini~iated aiming at determining the extent of the problem of cigarette smoking among secondary school students in Alexandria and assessing the different factors which ,lead to the initiation of smoking among those students. The effect of smokin~-on some parameters of the lung function was exami ned. A multistage stratified random sample was chosen from the students of the secondary schools in the different districts in Alexandria during the scholastic year 1988-1989. The total sample size was 1218 s tuden ts . Data from the students was collected through a self administered questionnaire which included:.personal data about the student and his family. Data about the smoking behavior of the students, his parents, siblings and peers. The beliefs of the students about the harmfull effects of the smoking was also assessed. Detailed information was obtained from the smokers about their smoking behavior. Ex-smokers were asked about the age of initiation of the habit and reasons for stopping smoking. The weight, height and the peak expiratory flow rate were measured for the examined students. A detailed lung function tests were performed on a subsample consisted of 100 students 50 smokers and 50 non-smokers. The scholastic achievement of the students was assessed by recording the results of the mid-year examination.