Young adults have the highest smoking rate of any age group in the U.S., and new strategies to decrease young adult smoking are needed. The objective of the current study was to identify psychographic and demographic factors associated with current smoking and quitting behaviors among young adults.
Methods
Attitudes, social groups, and self-descriptors, including supporting action against the tobacco industry, advertising receptivity, depression, alcohol use, and other factors associated with smoking were tested for associations with smoking behaviors in a 2005 cross-sectional survey of 1528 young adults (aged 18–25 years) from a web-enabled panel. Analyses were conducted in 2007.
Results
Being older was associated with current smoking, whereas having some higher education and being African American or Hispanic were negatively associated with smoking. Supporting action against the tobacco industry was negatively associated with smoking (AOR=0.34 [95% CI=0.22, 0.52]). Perceived usefulness of smoking, exposure to smokers, increased perceived smoking prevalence, receptivity to tobacco advertising, binge drinking, and exposure to tobacco advertising in bars and clubs were associated with smoking. Supporting action against the tobacco industry was associated with intentions to quit smoking (AOR=4.43 [95% CI=2.18, 8.60]).
Conclusions
Young adults are vulnerable to tobacco-industry advertising. Media campaigns that denormalize the tobacco industry and appeal to young adults appear to be a powerful intervention to decrease young adult smoking.
aDepartment of Medicine, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
bDivision of General Internal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
cCenter for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Pamela M. Ling, MD, MPH, University of California, San Francisco, 530 Parnassus Avenue, Suite 366, UCSF Box 1390, San Francisco CA 94143-1390
ABSTRACT