The impact of exposure to cigarette advertising and promotion on youth smoking behavior in Malang Regency (Indonesia) during the COVID- 19 Pandemic

The prevalence of teen smokers has increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. Smoking behavior occurs due to exposure to advertising and the promotion of cigarettes. This quantitative research was conducted using cross-sectional approach. The purpose of the study was to analyze the relationship between advertising exposure and cigarette promotion on adolescent smoking behavior in Malang Regency during the pandemic using the chi-square test. Random sampling on students from several high schools or equal degree in the Kepanjen District was done with a total of 145 respondents. The results showed that there was no significant relationship between age, types of cigarette advertising media at the point of sale, outdoor media, social media, internet, and newspapers or magazines by adolescent smoking behavior during the Covid-19 pandemic (p-value > 0.05). Exposure to cigarette advertisements on television, total exposure to cigarette advertisements, cigarette promotion, and gender had a significant relationship with adolescent smoking behavior during the pandemic (p value < 0.05). Adolescents are quite highly exposed to the various types of advertisements and promotions of cigarettes that can influence increased smoking behavior during the pandemic.