[Smoking, self-experienced health and social integration among adolescents]

In spite of increased preventive efforts against smoking in the Norwegian population, a substantial number of adolescents starts smoking. This study was meant to increase our understanding of smoking behaviour among adolescents by examining the relationship between subjective and emotional health and social integration on the one hand and smoking on the other.

The study was based on data from a cross-sectional survey of 828 students in upper secondary schools (91% of all students) in Førde carried out in 1997 (age group 16-19). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine the relationship between smoking and relevant predictor variables.

Self-assessed health, emotional and psychosomatic health were lower among smokers than non-smokers. Female students were also worse off concerning these health complaints. Smoking prevalence was three times higher among students attending vocational secondary schools compared to students attending college proparatory programmes. Smokers reported better social integration and intimacy with friends than did non-smokers. They also reported greater problems with intimacy with parents.

In preventive work among adolescents, we have to be aware of an important ambiguity: Smoking is associated with reduced subjective and emotional health, but also with better social integration and intimacy with friends.