Social smoking among young adults: Investigation of intentions and attempts to quit

A.V. Song and P.M. Ling

American Journal of Public Health, 2011, vol. 101, issue 7, 1291-1296

Abstract: Objectives: We compared the association between 3 different definitions of social smoking-a common pattern of smoking among young adults-and cessation indicators. Methods: We used a Web-enabled, cross-sectional national survey of 1528 young adults (aged 18-25 years) from a panel (recruited by random-digit dialing) maintained by the research group Knowledge Networks. Results: Among 455 smokers, 62% self-identified or behaved as social smokers. Compared with established smokers, self-identified social smokers were less likely to have cessation intentions (odds ratio [OR]=0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.70, 0.98) and cessation attempts lasting 1 month or longer (OR=0.54; 95% CI=0.45, 0.66). Behavioral social smokers (mainly or only smoking with others) were more likely than were self-identified social smokers (those who did not report these behavior patterns) to have cessation intentions (mainly ORmainly =1.66; 95% CI=1.05, 2.63; and ORonly =2.02; 95% CI=1.02, 3.97) and cessation attempts (ORmainly =4.33; 95% CI=2.68, 7.00; and OR only =6.82; 95% CI=3.29, 14.15). Conclusions: Self-identified social smokers may be considered a high-risk group with particular challenges for cessation. Behavioral social smokers may represent a group primed for cessation. Public health efforts should address these differences when developing smoking cessation strategies.

Date: 2011
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2010.300012_9

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2010.300012

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