2021-01-252021-01-252016-09-011471-24581471-2458http://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/500927586515 (pubmed)http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/5027© 2016 The Author(s). Background: Smoking has a detrimental effect on the symptoms and severity of asthma, a common chronic disease among adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between asthma and smoking among high school students and assess provider-patient communication with asthmatic adolescents regarding smoking and adolescents' beliefs about the harms of smoking. Methods: In fall 2014, data from high school students, ages 14-18 years, completing the 2009-2010 Virginia Youth Tobacco Survey (N = 1796) were used in descriptive analyses and multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for model-specific confounders as appropriate. Results: Overall, an estimated 19 % of high school students in Virginia smoked and 16 % had asthma. Odds of smoking did not differ by asthma status; however, asthmatics had 1.5 times higher odds of being asked if they smoke (95 % CI 1.06-2.13) and being advised not to smoke by a health professional (95 % CI 1.10-2.14) compared to non-asthmatics. Asthmatics who believed second-hand smoke or smoking 1-5 cigarettes/day was not harmful had respectively 4.2 and 2.8 times higher odds of smoking than those who thought each was harmful. Further, asthmatics who thought smoking 1-2 years is safe had 3.4 times higher odds of smoking than those who did not (95 % CI 1.57-10.1). Conclusions: While asthmatic adolescents are just as likely to smoke as non-asthmatics, less healthy beliefs about the risks of smoking increase the odds of smoking among asthmatics. Thus, targeted asthma-specific smoking prevention and education to change attitudes and beliefs could be an effective tool for adolescents.913-enCC BYhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/AdolescentsAsthmaSmokingSmoking-related beliefsArticle2021-01-25