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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Sara-Ann Steber, PhD, Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research, University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market St. Room 3011, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (215) 662-2886, ssteber@mail.med.upenn.edu and Phyllis Solomon, PhD, Social Policy and Practice, University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy and Practice, 3701 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6214.

Objective: The major objective of this study was to examine the risk and protective factors associated with smoking behavior among a cohort of pregnant and parenting teens. Methods: Data were analyzed from the Multi-Site Parenting Adolescent Initiative (PAI) study. Approximately 2,300 adolescents were recruited into the study in ten sites representing eight states with four waves of data collected over 18-months. A multinomial logistic regression was employed to identify specific types of smoking behavior, as well as to identify risk and protective factors associated with Non-Smoking, Experimental Smoking or Smoking. Results: While the largest percent of the PAI study participants were Non-Smokers (60.4%), 15.5% were Experimental Smokers and 24.1% were Smokers. Hispanic, African-American and Other teens are more likely to be Non-Smokers or Experimenters while over half of the White teens in this study are Smokers. Results of the analysis showed that religiosity/spirituality, impulsivity, and drinking in the past 30-days were significantly associated with an increase in smoking behavior for Experimental Smokers compared to Non-Smokers. Conclusions: Results show that race/ethnicity is the most significant predictor of smoking amongst White pregnant and parenting adolescents regardless of pregnancy status and that all other races/ethnicities of Experimental Smokers are at significant risk of increasing their smoking behavior. From an intervention perspective, smoking behavior among pregnant and parenting adolescents must be identified early and smoking prevention and cessation programs must be initiated as soon as possible in a manner that addresses risk factors and respects the culture of various racial and ethnic groups.

Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to

• define specific smoking behaviors of pregnant and parenting teens;
• recognize risk factors that place a pregnant or parenting teen at risk of increasing smoking behavior; and,
• develop appropriate smoking prevention/cessation interventions for this population

Keywords: Smoking, Teen Pregnancy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered