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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Kwame Ofori, BS¹, Leslie Walker, MD², Lauren Wine, BA³, Lara Wilson³, and Kenneth Tercyak, PhD³. (1) Department of Biology, University of the District of Columbia, 4200 Connecticut Ave., NW, Building 44, Room 200-7, Washington, DC 20008, 202-274-5666, kofori@udc.edu, (2) Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University, 4000 Reservoir Rd., Washingtonq, DC 20057, (3) Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3300 Whitehaven St., NW, Suite 4100, Washington, DC 20007

In this study, social and behavioral factors were examined in relationship to cigarette smoking and caffeine use as potential forms of self-medication among n=98 high-risk youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared to a sample of n=261 control youth. At the bivariate level, youth with ADHD were more likely to have a positive lifetime history of cigarette smoking and were more likely to consume caffeine; the comorbid association of cigarette use and caffeine use was higher among youth with ADHD compared to those without ADHD. These results suggest that both cigarettes and caffeine may serve as forms of self-medication for ADHD-related symptoms among ADHD-affected youth. Though youth without ADHD also use these substances, their function in high-risk use should be explored further. Implications for the management of tobacco control among high-risk youth will be discussed, including the roles of primary care and health education specialists in working with youth who smoke and consume caffeine.

Learning Objectives:

• To learn about the prevalence of tobacco and caffeine use among high risk youth;
• To describe patterns of comorbid use;
• To describe social and behavioral correlates of use

Keywords: Tobacco, Adolescent Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered