Objectives. Analyze associations between ever smoking and injuries, accidents, suicides, and homicides in US teenagers (ages 15-19) and young adults (ages 20-24). Methods. This case-control study used multiple logistic regression to analyze surrogates' reports in the 1993 National Mortality Followback Survey, a representative sample of US deaths. We computed the odds ratios (OR) of ever smoking cigarettes for injury decedents versus most illness decedents. Results. Smoking was associated with injury death in teenagers (crude OR 3.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.0-3.8]) and young adults (OR 2.4 [CI 2.3-2.6]). Similar associations were seen for suicide, accident, and homicide. The associations were independent of race and sex. Teenager, male, and self-inflicted injuries were most strongly associated with smoking. After additional adjustment for alcohol use, drug use, marital status, and education, smoking remained associated with fatal injury (OR 2.0 [CI 1.0-4.0]) and suicide (OR 4.5 [CI 1.7-12]) in teenagers and injury, accident, and suicide deaths in teenage and young adult males. Conclusions. Young injury, accident, suicide, and homicide decedents are much more likely than other decedents to have ever smoked. The associations are independent of several demographic or behavioral factors in males and in teenagers. Further studies and warnings of smoking's possible roles in injuries, accident, and suicides are merited.
Learning Objectives: Quantify smoking/injury associations in teens Quantify smoking/suicide associations in teens Quantify smoking/homicide associations in teens
Keywords: Adolescents, Injury Risk
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.