Youth Prevention

Research

Continued importance of family factors in youth smoking behavior
A recently-published study in Nicotine & Tobacco Research shows that parents play an important role in preventing youth initiation of smoking. Researchers analyzed parents’ and nonsmoking youths’ responses to the longitudinal National Survey of Parents and Youth to determine which factors were associated with preventing youth initiation of smoking. The results show that higher parental monitoring and increased perceived punishment were associated with decreased odds of youth smoking initiation, with differences by race. Researchers suggest that smoking prevention interventions aimed at parents incorporate these findings to reduce youth initiation. Read more here.

Smoking initiation among young adults in the United States and Canada, 1998-2010: A systematic review
A study published in Preventing Chronic Disease suggests that a systematic measure of young adult smoking initiation is needed. Researchers conducted a systematic review of the literature published on smoking initiation among adults ages 18 to 25 between 1998 and 2010. The results show that disparities in young adult smoking initiation exist between different demographic groups, and that smoking initiation may increase under certain circumstances, such as times of boredom or stress. The researchers conclude that a standardized measure of young adult initiation is needed because different measures of smoking initiation were used in the various studies. Click here to read more.

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Reports

Smoking, drinking by teens decreases (WY)
The smoking rate among Wyoming teens has decreased over the past sixteen years, according to results from the Wyoming Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The data show that the youth smoking rate dropped from 39.5% in 1995 to 22% in 2011, and the prevalence of students smoking on school property decreased from 17.2% in 1995 to 7.1% in 2011. Public health advocates believe this progress is attributable to smoke-free polies that have been adopted in cities and stronger cessation programs. Wyoming is one of the only states that spend 50% or more of the money received through the tobacco settlement on tobacco prevention, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends. Click here to read more.

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