Skip to main content
PMC home page
American Journal of Public Health logoLink to American Journal of Public Health
. 1997 Aug;87(8):1345–1348. doi: 10.2105/ajph.87.8.1345

Cigarette smoking attitudes and first use among third- through sixth-grade students: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

K J Greenlund 1, C C Johnson 1, L S Webber 1, G S Berenson 1
PMCID: PMC1381098  PMID: 9279273

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study examined cigarette smoking attitudes, peer and parental influence, and first use among children in southeastern Louisiana. METHODS: Data from 933 children in grades 3 through 6 in the Bogalusa Heart Study (1993 through 1994) were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifteen percent of the children had tried smoking. Of these, 40% first smoked with a family member, and 46% obtained their first cigarette from a family member or from home. Correlates of ever having smoked were race, sex, having a best friend or family member who smoked, and attitudes that smoking is disgusting and that nonsmokers get better grades. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention programs should begin early and focus on family and peer influences as well as attitudes.

Full text

PDF
1348

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bhatia S., Hendricks S., Bhatia S. Attitudes toward and beliefs about smoking in grade school children. Int J Addict. 1993 Feb;28(3):271–280. doi: 10.3109/10826089309039628. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brownson R. C., DiLorenzo T. M., Van Tuinen M., Finger W. W. Patterns of cigarette and smokeless tobacco use among children and adolescents. Prev Med. 1990 Mar;19(2):170–180. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(90)90018-f. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Brownson R. C., Jackson-Thompson J., Wilkerson J. C., Davis J. R., Owens N. W., Fisher E. B., Jr Demographic and socioeconomic differences in beliefs about the health effects of smoking. Am J Public Health. 1992 Jan;82(1):99–103. doi: 10.2105/ajph.82.1.99. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Camp D. E., Klesges R. C., Relyea G. The relationship between body weight concerns and adolescent smoking. Health Psychol. 1993 Jan;12(1):24–32. doi: 10.1037//0278-6133.12.1.24. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Chassin L., Presson C. C., Sherman S. J., Edwards D. A. Parent educational attainment and adolescent cigarette smoking. J Subst Abuse. 1992;4(3):219–234. doi: 10.1016/0899-3289(92)90031-r. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Chassin L., Presson C. C., Sherman S. J., Edwards D. A. The natural history of cigarette smoking: predicting young-adult smoking outcomes from adolescent smoking patterns. Health Psychol. 1990;9(6):701–716. doi: 10.1037//0278-6133.9.6.701. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Cohen D. A., Richardson J., LaBree L. Parenting behaviors and the onset of smoking and alcohol use: a longitudinal study. Pediatrics. 1994 Sep;94(3):368–375. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Conrad K. M., Flay B. R., Hill D. Why children start smoking cigarettes: predictors of onset. Br J Addict. 1992 Dec;87(12):1711–1724. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1992.tb02684.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Croft J. B., Hunter S. M., Webber L. S., Watson R. B., Berenson G. S. Cigarette smoking behavioral distinctions between experimental nonadopters and adopters in children and adolescents--a consideration of transitional smoking experience: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Prev Med. 1985 Jan;14(1):109–122. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(85)90026-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Eckhardt L., Woodruff S. I., Elder J. P. A longitudinal analysis of adolescent smoking and its correlates. J Sch Health. 1994 Feb;64(2):67–72. doi: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.1994.tb06181.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Headen S. W., Bauman K. E., Deane G. D., Koch G. G. Are the correlates of cigarette smoking initiation different for black and white adolescents? Am J Public Health. 1991 Jul;81(7):854–858. doi: 10.2105/ajph.81.7.854. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hunter S. M., Croft J. B., Burke G. L., Parker F. C., Webber L. S., Berenson G. S. Longitudinal patterns of cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use in youth: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Am J Public Health. 1986 Feb;76(2):193–195. doi: 10.2105/ajph.76.2.193. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Hunter S. M., Croft J. B., Vizelberg I. A., Berenson G. S., Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Psychosocial influences on cigarette smoking among youth in a southern community: the Bogalusa Heart Study. MMWR Suppl. 1987 Sep 4;36(4):17S–23S. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kelder S. H., Perry C. L., Klepp K. I., Lytle L. L. Longitudinal tracking of adolescent smoking, physical activity, and food choice behaviors. Am J Public Health. 1994 Jul;84(7):1121–1126. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.7.1121. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lau R. R., Quadrel M. J., Hartman K. A. Development and change of young adults' preventive health beliefs and behavior: influence from parents and peers. J Health Soc Behav. 1990 Sep;31(3):240–259. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Oei T. P., Burton A. Attitudes toward smoking in 7- to 9-year-old children. Int J Addict. 1990 Jan;25(1):43–52. doi: 10.3109/10826089009056199. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Pierce J. P., Gilpin E., Burns D. M., Whalen E., Rosbrook B., Shopland D., Johnson M. Does tobacco advertising target young people to start smoking? Evidence from California. JAMA. 1991 Dec 11;266(22):3154–3158. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Reimers T. M., Pomrehn P. R., Becker S. L., Lauer R. M. Risk factors for adolescent cigarette smoking. The Muscatine study. Am J Dis Child. 1990 Nov;144(11):1265–1272. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1990.02150350097035. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Stern R. A., Prochaska J. O., Velicer W. F., Elder J. P. Stages of adolescent cigarette smoking acquisition: measurement and sample profiles. Addict Behav. 1987;12(4):319–329. doi: 10.1016/0306-4603(87)90046-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Stone S. L., Kristeller J. L. Attitudes of adolescents toward smoking cessation. Am J Prev Med. 1992 Jul-Aug;8(4):221–225. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from American Journal of Public Health are provided here courtesy of American Public Health Association

RESOURCES