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

Abstract #118148

Tracie A. Barnett, PhD, Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, Pavillon 1420 Mt-Royal, PO Box 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC H3C #j7, Canada, 514-343-6111 (ext 4957), ta.barnett@umontreal.ca, Marie Lambert, MD, Ste Justine Hospital, University of Montreal, 3175 Cote Ste Catherine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada, Jennifer O'Loughlin, PhD, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University, 1020 Pine Avenue, Montreal, QC H3A 1A2, Canada, Gilles Paradis, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Institut national de santé publique, Direction de santé publique de Montréal-centre, 1301, Sherbrooke est, Montréal, QC H2L 1M3, Canada, Jennifer McGrath, PhD MPH, Psychology, Concordia University, 1455 deMaisonneuve W, Montreal, QC H3G 1M8, Canada, and Lise Gauvin, PhD, Department of social and preventive medicine, Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada.

Objective : To determine if school policies restricting teachers' smoking relate to daily smoking among high-school students. Methods: Multilevel analysis of cross-sectional, school-based, provincially representative samples of students aged 13 and 16 in Quebec. Data were available for 828 of 1058 13-year olds nested within 52 schools and 935 of 1160 16-year olds nested within 61 schools. School principals provided data on smoking policies for 106 of 113 schools. Results: 6% of boys and 9% of girls aged 13 smoked daily; 25% and 29% of boys and girls aged 16 smoked daily. Girls aged 13 were 5.6 (95% CI: 1.1-27.4) times more likely to be daily smokers if their schools allowed teachers to smoke outdoors. There was no association in same-aged boys. Boys aged 16 were 1.7 (95% CI:1.0-3.0) times more likely to be daily smokers if their schools allowed teachers to smoke indoors. There was no association in same-aged girls. Adjusting for school SES did not affect findings substantially. Furthermore, school smoking policy appeared to fully explain between-school differences in mean daily smoking among 13 year old girls. Conclusion: Girls may be more susceptible to teachers smoking at school at age 13 than at age 16, suggesting that school policies as they begin their high school experience may influence their smoking behavior. Older boys seem more influenced by teachers smoking at school than younger boys. Preventive intervention to reduce youth smoking should include school policies restricting teachers' smoking at work.

Learning Objectives:

• Help recognize and appreciate both the importance and potential influence of the school social environment on youth smoking behavior.

Keywords: Adolescents, Tobacco Policy

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.