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Health risk behaviors in relation to making a smoking quit attempt among adolescents

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Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to examine youth risk behaviors in relation to: (a) making a smoking quit attempt, and (b) successful cessation among adolescent smokers. Data were analyzed from the public use dataset of the 2003 national school-based Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The sample consisted of 2,033 students (weighted mean age of 16.3 years, 49.8% female, 73.6% White) who reported a history of daily smoking. While almost two-thirds (63.5%) of adolescent smokers reported making a quit attempt in the last year, only 10% of those were able to successfully quit. Factors associated with making a quit attempt included depression and participating in sports while high-risk sexual activity and engaging in substance use other than alcohol or marijuana were negatively related to making a quit attempt. Externalizing health behaviors (e.g., fighting, drug use, and high risk sexual activity) were associated with decreased likelihood of cessation. Findings from this study may inform efforts to develop more effective smoking prevention and treatment programs for youth.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Addictions Research, Butler Hospital, 345 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI, 02906, USA

    Ana M. Abrantes, David R. Strong & Richard A. Brown

  2. Brown Medical School, Providence, RI, USA

    Ana M. Abrantes, David R. Strong, Belinda Borrelli & Richard A. Brown

  3. Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

    Christina S. Lee

  4. University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Laura MacPherson

  5. The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA

    Belinda Borrelli

Authors
  1. Ana M. Abrantes
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  2. Christina S. Lee
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  3. Laura MacPherson
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  4. David R. Strong
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  5. Belinda Borrelli
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  6. Richard A. Brown
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Correspondence to Ana M. Abrantes.

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Abrantes, A.M., Lee, C.S., MacPherson, L. et al. Health risk behaviors in relation to making a smoking quit attempt among adolescents. J Behav Med 32, 142–149 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-008-9184-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-008-9184-1

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