Starting to smoke: a qualitative study of the experiences of Australian indigenous youth

BMC Public Health

David P Thomas²  Cyan Earnshaw¹  Darren W Westphal¹  Vanessa Johnston¹ 

[1] Menzies School of Health Research, Institute of Advanced Studies, Charles Darwin University, PO Box 41096, Casuarina, Northern Territory 0811 Australia;Lowitja Institute, Charles Darwin University, PO Box U364, Casuarina, Northern Territory 0815 Australia

关键词: Australia;    Tobacco;    Smoking;    Youth;    Aboriginal;   

Others  :  1162865
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-12-963

 received in 2012-06-20, accepted in 2012-11-06,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

Adult smoking has its roots in adolescence. If individuals do not initiate smoking during this period it is unlikely they ever will. In high income countries, smoking rates among Indigenous youth are disproportionately high. However, despite a wealth of literature in other populations, there is less evidence on the determinants of smoking initiation among Indigenous youth. The aim of this study was to explore the determinants of smoking among Australian Indigenous young people with a particular emphasis on the social and cultural processes that underlie tobacco use patterns among this group.

Methods

This project was undertaken in northern Australia. We undertook group interviews with 65 participants and individual in-depth interviews with 11 youth aged 13–20 years led by trained youth ‘peer researchers.’ We also used visual methods (photo-elicitation) with individual interviewees to investigate the social context in which young people do or do not smoke. Included in the sample were a smaller number of non-Indigenous youth to explore any significant differences between ethnic groups in determinants of early smoking experiences. The theory of triadic influence, an ecological model of health behaviour, was used as an organising theory for analysis.

Results

Family and peer influences play a central role in smoking uptake among Indigenous youth. Social influences to smoke are similar between Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth but are more pervasive (especially in the family domain) among Indigenous youth. While Indigenous youth report high levels of exposure to smoking role models and smoking socialisation practices among their family and social networks, this study provides some indication of a progressive denormalisation of smoking among some Indigenous youth.

Conclusions

Future initiatives aimed at preventing smoking uptake in this population need to focus on changing social normative beliefs around smoking, both at a population level and within young peoples’ immediate social environment. Such interventions could be effectively delivered in both the school and family environments. Specifically, health practitioners in contact with Indigenous families should be promoting smoke free homes and other anti-smoking socialisation behaviours.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Johnston et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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