Smoking among young women is associated with a variety of negative health outcomes. Gender-specific influences on smoking, quitting, and attempting to quit were hypothesized and surveyed. More women than men currently smoke, but quitting attempts are equally common. Programs addressing issues of concern to young women smokers are needed. (AF)

A survey of 1,085 seventh and eleventh graders assessed the impact of parents, peers, siblings, advertising, and sponsorship as role models influencing attitudes toward smoking and smoking behavior. Results suggest that intervention programs need to address nicotine addiction and be in place before grade seven. (JOW)

Examines the use of peer-helping programs in minimizing alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. Discusses results of a meta-analysis of school-based drug-prevention programs, false conclusions about peer programs' ineffectiveness, features of two model programs that compared peer leadership to teacher/researcher-led programs, and suggestions for…

Examined demographic characteristics of high school tobacco-users across gender and ethnicity using data from the 1991-1995 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Current smoking increased, with one-third of 9th and 12th graders currently smoking in 1995 and 11% of all students using smokeless tobacco. Many students used tobacco before high school. Tobacco…

Describes a random effects discrete time survival model that addresses problems of measurement error and sample design complexities. Demonstrates the effectiveness of the model in an analysis of retrospective report data on the age of onset of smoking from two cross-sectional school-based studies. (JPB)

Examined the relationship between physical activity and other health-related behaviors of U.S. college students. Data from the National College Health Risk Behavior Survey indicated that cigarette smoking, inconsistent seatbelt use, and inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables significantly related to low levels of physical activity after…

Compares cigarette, alcohol, and illegal drug use among high school students in Baja California Norte (BCN), Mexico with Mexican American students in Los Angeles (LA), California (N=516). Demographic variables, individual characteristics, and environmental influences were considered. Reports that more BCN students used alcohol and more LA students…

Examined whether stages of exercise adoption were associated with the practice of other health behaviors. Surveys of university employees examined demographics, health behavior, and stages of change. Results indicated that stage of exercise adoption was predictive of three out of five health behaviors. Encouraging individuals to think about…

Studied the roles of demographic, school, nonschool, and personality factors in predicting the use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs and maintenance of this use. Findings for 425 Scottish secondary school students show different predictive factors. Discusses implications of the findings for decreasing the prevalence of substance use. (SLD)

Tested for moderation in the relation of family risk factors to adolescent substance use. Surveyed 1,810 participants at 11.5 years and followed with 2 yearly assessments. Found that impact of parental risk factors was decreased among participants with higher task attentional orientation and positive emotionality (resilience) and was increased…

Schools which enforce a no-smoking policy may experience lower rates of pupil smoking. Little is known, however, about how young people view such restrictions and it has been argued that smoking bans might actually encourage adolescent smoking. This paper presents pupils' views on the extent to which staff could, and should, enforce smoking…

This study investigated racial differences of tobacco use and social exposure to tobacco products in a sample of middle school students. Questionnaires were administered in January 2005 to 290 students in a Mississippi Delta-area middle school. The participants were 51.0% female and 56.6% African American. Unadjusted odds ratios revealed that…

Physicians frequently are early adopters of healthy behaviors based on their knowledge and economic resources. The mortality patterns of physicians in the United States, particularly suicide, have not been rigorously described for over a decade. Previous studies have shown lower all-cause mortality among physicians yet reported conflicting results…

The use of racial variables in genetic studies has become a matter of intense public debate, with implications for research design and translation into practice. Using research on smoking as a springboard, the authors examine the history of racial categories, current research practices, and arguments for and against using race variables in genetic…

The lifestyles of young people excluded from school have received much attention recently, particularly in relation to illicit drug use. Commentators have acknowledged that they constitute a high-risk group to social disaffection and substance abuse. This paper reports on a group of 48 young people living in Belfast aged 13-14 years who are…