The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #64228

Nancy G Murray, DrPH, School of Public Health - Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas, 7000 Fannin, UCT 2620, Houston, TX 77030 and Bridget K. Gorman, PhD, School of Public Health - Center for Society and Population Health, University of Texas, 1200 Herman Pressler, E-905, Houston, TX 77225, 713-348-4137, bkgorman@rice.edu.

Tobacco use puts more than one quarter of U.S. teens at risk of addiction, lifelong tobacco use, and consequent morbidity and mortality. Understanding influences on teen tobacco use and cessation will inform development of more effective prevention and cessation programs. If family influences on teen tobacco use are important, and interventions may be developed to impact family influences, we increase the potential of decreasing teen smoking. In order to understand family influences on teen smoking, we used data drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a nationally representative study of American adolescents in grades 7-12 from 134 middle and high schools in 80 communities in 1994-1995. We used data from 6,351 adolescents who lived with both biological parents and provided complete information including a parent interview. Data analysis was conducted with STATA to correct for the intracluster correlation due to the complex sampling design. While our findings confirm past studies which have demonstrated the important influence of peer smoking, several aspects of the parent-child relationship (i.e., closeness between the teen and their parents, frequency of eating dinner together) are associated with teen smoking. However, when we stratify the analysis by parental smoking status, parent-child relationship measures are associated with teen smoking only in families where the parent does not smoke. If the parent smokes cigarettes, family influences have no effect, and only measures of peer smoking and other adolescent risk factors (e.g., drinking, academic disengagement) are significantly related to teen smoking.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to: Describe the effect of parental behaviors, parenting practices, and parent-child relationship on adolescent tobacco use within the context of the peer group; and
• discuss parenting interventions based on these results.

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Tobacco

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.