Smoking transmission in-home across three generations

Objective: This paper examines the transmission of smoking in-home across three generations in Spain. Methods: Multilevel logistic regression is used to assess the significance and magnitude of intergenerational transmissions of smoking in-home. We use the survey data "Encuesta Estatal Sobre Uso De Drogas en Estudiantes de Enselianzas Secundarias (ESTUDES)" corresponding to year 2010. This survey with 32 234 students constitutes a representative survey of Spanish students between 14 and 18 years of age. Results: Estimates reported show a significant association of students' smoking with mothers' smoking (OR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.31-1.51), fathers' smoking (OR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.16-1.35) and grandparents' smoking (OR = 1.30; 95% CI = 1.07-1.57). Our results also suggest that, although mothers' and parents' smoking impacts sons' and daughters' smoking, grandparents' smoking significantly increases grandsons' smoking but does not influence granddaughters' smoking. Conclusions: Parents and grandparents could reduce adolescents' smoking by quitting smoking themselves, a decision that would have beneficial effects for parents, grandparents and, indirectly, for adolescents.