Social influences on cigarette initiation among college students
Ruth R Staten1, Melody Noland, Mary Kay Rayens
1College of Nursing and University Health Service, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA. rrstat00@uky.edu
American Journal of Health Behavior
|May 22, 2007
Summary
College students who drank alcohol and had parents with college education were more likely to start smoking. This highlights the need for integrated alcohol and tobacco use reduction strategies.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Underage smoking initiation is a significant public health concern.
- Understanding factors influencing late-onset smoking in college students is crucial for prevention.
- Demographic and social factors play a role in substance use initiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between demographic characteristics, social influences, and the initiation of cigarette smoking among undergraduate students.
- To identify predictors of late-onset smoking in a college population.
Main Methods:
- Anonymous surveys were mailed to 437 undergraduate students who had never smoked before age 18.
- Participants were categorized as late initiators (n=107, 24%) or never smokers (n=330, 76%).
Main Results:
- Alcohol consumption during college was significantly associated with smoking initiation.
- Having at least one parent with a college education increased the likelihood of initiating smoking.
- Students who abstained from alcohol and had no college-educated parents were less likely to initiate smoking.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest a link between alcohol use, parental education, and late-onset smoking in undergraduates.
- Intervention strategies targeting both alcohol and tobacco use concurrently may be effective.
- Further research is needed to develop and test comprehensive prevention programs.
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