Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Katherine Wunderink, Molly Green, MPH, Jennifer Duke, PhD, and Donna Vallone, PhD, MPH. American Legacy Foundation, 2030 M Street, NW, 6th floor, Washington, DC 20036, 202 454 5746, kwunderink@americanlegacy.org

Methods: The Legacy Media Tracking Online survey (n=7000, collected in February and June, 2005) measures tobacco-related attitudes and behaviors. Questions related to social networks were analyzed according to the respondents' smoking status and other variables. Results: Ever smokers were more likely to prefer time with one other friend or a boyfriend/girlfriend than never smokers (32% compared to 23%) and more likely to prefer a large social event than never smokers (15% compared to 10%). Ever smokers were less likely to prefer time with a small group of friends than never smokers (45% compared to 54%) and also less likely to prefer time alone than never smokers (8% compared to 14%). Further analyses revealed that smokers more frequently see themselves at the forefront of trends and information than never smokers. This presentation will also compare social networks and behaviors across demographic groups. Conclusions: Previous research has documented the relationship between youth sensation-seeking and smoking status, and the related belief has long been held that open to smoking youth also tend to be trend-setters. This research outlines the differing socialization patterns between ever smokers and never smokers, and provides further evidence that by their own perceptions, smokers are a motivating force among their peers.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will gain an understanding of youth social behaviors as they relate to smoking status, and be able to describe the differences in perceived influence over peers between smokers and non-smokers.

Keywords: Youth, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered