Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #103784

Jessica L. Muilenburg, PhD¹, Connie Kohler, DrPH², Diane Grimley, PhD², Susan L. Davies, PhD², Michael Windle, PhD³, and Scott W. Snyder, PhD⁴. (1) University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Department of Preventive Medicine, Jackson, MS 39216, 601-815-1730, jmuilenburg@prevmed.umsmed.edu, (2) Department of Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, RPHB 227, 1530 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, (3) Dept. of Psychology, Center for the Advancement of Youth Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, CH 415, 1530 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170, (4) Human Studies, University of Alabama at Birmingham, EB 233, 1530 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-1250

Asking an adolescent to identify with a particular smoking status may help tobacco researchers understand differences in adolescent smoking attitudes and behaviors. OBJECTIVE: To investigate if the smoking status with which an adolescent identifies influences his/her attitude about quitting smoking and reasons for entering a smoking cessation program. METHODS: Students were asked to label themselves as one of the following: nonsmoker, “someone who smokes every once in a while,” regular smoker and ex-smoker. Data were collected from Alabama high school students ages 16 and older who currently smoked cigarettes (N=218). RESULTS: The category chosen least often was nonsmoker (12.6%), followed by “someone who smokes once in a while” (21.8%), and regular smokers (65.5%). Nonsmokers and those who smoked “once in a while” were more likely than regular smokers to respond ‘yes' to the statement ‘I want to quit smoking for good' (X2 (4, N=206) p=.01). Non-smokers and students who smoke “once in a while” selected ‘because I will learn how to quit smoking' as the most important reason to join a smoking cessation program. The regular smokers found this reason less important (X2 (8, N=202) p=.03) than other reasons, such as ‘to be with my friends'. DISCUSSION: Since adolescents who considered themselves nonsmokers or occasional smokers appear more motivated to quit smoking and more likely than regular smokers to join a smoking cessation program primarily to quit smoking, cessation programs should be in place to target those students who are not established smokers.

Learning Objectives: