Exploration factors on smoking among female adolescents based on the viewpoints of Iranian adolescent girls

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the prevalence of smoking in women has increased significantly. This study aimed to explain the effective factors in the tendency to smoke in female adolescents, employing a qualitative method of content analysis in Mashhad, Iran. METHODS: The data for this conventional content analysis were obtained by conducting semi‑structured interviews with 20 female adolescent smokers. For open coding, integrating codes, creating main category and subcategories, and extracting quotation associated with codes and subcategories, MAXQDA software version 10 was used. RESULTS: Based on the results of the study, one main category and six subcategories were identified to influence the decision to smoke. The main category was interconnection of psychological and gender experiences. The subcategories included self-management weakness, ignoring the side effects, gender orientation, negative psychological experiences, the attraction of cigarettes, and positive psychological experiences. CONCLUSION: Psychological and gender factors play an important role in initiating people's behavior and tendency to smoke and smoking prevention programs in educational settings need to focus efforts around what is known about young women smokers.