Changes in tobacco use, susceptibility to future smoking, and quit attempts among Canadian youth over time: a comparison of off-reserve Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth

Journal Article

Print(0)

International journal of environmental research and public health

Int.J.Environ.Res.Public.Health.

21-Feb

729

741

LR: 20150219; JID: 101238455; OID: NLM: PMC3635174; 2012/12/05 [received]; 2013/01/17 [revised]; 2013/01/29 [accepted]; epublish

Switzerland

1660-4601; 1660-4601

PMID: 23429753

eng

Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; IM

10.3390/ijerph10020729 [doi]

Unknown(0)

23429753

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a growing inequity in tobacco use, susceptibility to future smoking, and quit attempts among Off-Reserve Aboriginal (ORA) youth in Canada relative to Non-Aboriginal youth. Current smoking, susceptibility to future smoking and quit attempts were examined among a nationally representative sample of ORA and Non-Aboriginal Canadian youth. Data are from cross-sectional surveys of 88,661 respondents in Grades 6 to 9 across the 2004, 2006 and 2008 survey waves of the Youth Smoking Survey (YSS). At each wave, ORA youth were more likely to be current smokers (overall OR = 3.91, 95% CI 3.47 to 4.41), to be susceptible to future smoking (overall OR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.48), and less likely to have ever made a quit attempt compared to Non-Aboriginal youth (overall OR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.96). Although susceptibility to future smoking declined for Non-Aboriginal youth, the prevalence of susceptibility remained stable among ORA youth. The percentage of ORA youth reporting making a quit attempt increased, however, current smoking rates among ORA youth did not decline. These findings suggest that the disparity in susceptibility to future tobacco use among ORA and Non-Aboriginal youth has increased over time. Despite increased rates of quit attempts, current smoking rates remain significantly higher among ORA youth. Tobacco control programs for Aboriginal youth should be a public health priority.

Elton-Marshall,T., Leatherdale,S.T., Burkhalter,R., Brown,K.S.

School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada. sleather@uwaterloo.ca

20130221

PMC3635174

http://vp9py7xf3h.search.serialssolutions.com/?charset=utf-8&pmid=23429753

2013