Social Connectedness and Smoking among Adolescents in Ireland: An Analysis of the Health Behaviour in Schoolchildren Study

David S. Evans (), Anne O’Farrell, Aishling Sheridan and Paul Kavanagh
Additional contact information
David S. Evans: National Social Inclusion Office, Health Service Executive, D20 KH63 Dublin, Ireland
Anne O’Farrell: Health Intelligence Unit, Health Service Executive, D20 DV79 Dublin, Ireland
Aishling Sheridan: Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, Health Service Executive, DO1 W596 Dublin, Ireland
Paul Kavanagh: Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, Health Service Executive, DO1 W596 Dublin, Ireland

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 9, 1-11

Abstract: Continuing progress with preventing smoking initiation is a key to the tobacco endgame. Home- and school-based social networks shape the health behaviour of children and adolescents. This study described the relationship between social connectedness and smoking behaviour in school-aged children in Ireland. The 2014 Irish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) surveyed self-reported smoking status and measured perceptions of social connectedness and support with validated and reliable questions across a random stratified sample of 9623 schoolchildren (aged 10–19). Overall, 8% of school-aged children reported smoking, in the last 30 days 52% reported smoking daily, and prevalence increased with age ( p < 0.001). Compared with schoolchildren who did not smoke, perceptions of social connectedness and perceptions of support at home, from peers, and at school were significantly poorer for schoolchildren who smoked across all measures examined ( p < 0.001). The poorest rated measures were for school connectedness and teacher support for smokers. Policies and practices that build and support positive environments for schoolchildren must continue to be prioritised if progress on preventing smoking initiation is to be sustained.

Keywords: social connectedness; smoking; schoolchildren; adolescents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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