Association of Social Networks and Mass Media with Cigarette Smoking Among Asthmatic Adolescents

Introduction: Asthma is a common chronic disease for youth. Tobacco companies are spending around $37 million per day on media advertisement. This study analyzes whether social actors and mass media are associated with cigarette smoking among asthmatic youth.

Methods: Data from the 2006 Maryland Youth Tobacco Survey for 10,481 asthmatic youth (< 18 years old) were analyzed by smoking status, social network, media exposure and sociodemographic variables using bivariate statistics, and logistic regression.

Results: Overall, the odds of being a smoker were greater for asthmatic youth (OR = 1.33) compared to non-asthmatic youth. It was also greater regardless of gender, race/ethnicity (with exception of Hispanics and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders), education, weekly income and self perceived health status. Current smoking was associated with cigarette offers from best friends (females OR=114.48, males OR=38.88), having a friend who was a smoker (females OR=7.80, males OR=4.35), and exposure to second-hand smoke in rooms (females OR=4.63) or cars (females OR=1.77, males OR=3.17). Smoking allowed inside the home (OR=1.73), and receipt of advice from a dentist not to smoke was associated with current smoking among females (OR=2.16). Cigarette smoking was associated with media exposure to smoker actors for females (OR=1.43) and with smoker athletes for males (OR=2.35). Exposure to tobacco promotional objects (females OR=2.92, males OR=2.96) was also associated with smoking.

Conclusions: Tobacco prevention and control policies, regulations and programs should address asthmatic smoker friends, second-hand smoke and exposure to tobacco promotional objects. Educational campaigns should capitalize on athletes, actors and peer leader as role models.