Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #107862

Jessica L. Muilenburg, PhD¹, Angelic Howell¹, Lucy Annang, MPH², Stuart Usdan, PhD, CHES³, and William D. Johnson, PhD⁴. (1) University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Department of Preventive Medicine, Jackson, MS 39216, 601-815-1730, jmuilenburg@prevmed.umsmed.edu, (2) Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 227 Ryals Public Health Building, 1665 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294, (3) Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Univeristy of South Carolina, 800 Sumter Street, HESC 220, Columbia, SC 29208, (4) Department of Preventive Medicine, The University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216

Although the prevalence of tobacco use is widely reported, most of these behaviors have developed over time and start long before these behaviors are being examined. This study investigates the racial differences of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco products in a sample of middle school students. Surveys were administered to 281 middle school students in a Mississippi Delta area middle school. The participants were 51.0% female, and 56.6% African Americans. Odds ratios revealed that Caucasian students were more likely to have ever tried smoking [OR= 1.9, CI (1.03, 3.0)] more likely to have ever been a daily smoker [OR=3.4, CI (1.7, 6.9)], more likely to live with someone who smokes [OR=2.4, CI (1.5, 3.9)], more likely than to have seen a parent or guardian smoke (OR=3.7, CI (2.0, 6.7)], and more likely to have friends who smoke than were African American students (OR=2.4, CI (1.3. 4.2)]. In contrast, African American students were more likely than white students to report “no one is allowed to smoke” in their home (p=.035). Caucasian students were also 24.3 times more likely to have used smokeless tobacco products in the past 30 days [OR=24.3, CI (5.7, 104.3)] than were African American students. A greater understanding of the impact of exposure to tobacco use on an adolescents own tobacco use is vital to prevention efforts, especially in concern to racial differences. Future research on youth tobacco prevention should focus on racial differences in the development of tobacco use in adolescents.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify racial differences in tobacco use in young adolescents.
• Discuss potential methods in prevention of tobacco and tobacco cessation.
• Understand the impact of exposure to tobacco products on youth smoking initiation.

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Tobacco

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.