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133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA |
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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:
Keywords: Tobacco, Adolescents
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.
The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA