21 June 2008
Smoking Behaviour Linked to School Environment
A study commissioned by the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit of the Medical Research Council revealed that smoking behaviour among students is influenced by school environment, particularly by social factors like teacher-student relationship, sense of inclusiveness and attitude toward schooling. The research was published in BMC Public Health, an open access journal.
Led by Dr. Marion Henderson, the study looked at the smoking behaviour of 5,092 students from 24 schools in Scotland. The findings are expected to lead to improved intervention programs aimed at teenagers. Smoking rates among the adult population has been decreasing, a trend currently unseen among young smokers. Among the male students aged 14-15 years, 25% smoked habitually or occasionally; the prevalence rate among female students was higher at 39%, said Henderson.
Henderson criticized the current smoking cessation programs for putting too much emphasis on individual factors rather than the social environment. She suggested that anti-smoking programs be designed to harness the role of school environment in discouraging smoking among youths.
The research model used by Henderson took into account the role of personal circumstances of students to identify what she called the “school effect,” that is, the overall implications of school environment for smoking habits. The research team considered the smoking history of students, school allowances and quality of family relationship. The research team concluded that social inclusiveness and a friendly school environment could discourage smoking, especially among male students who perform below the average. So far, the research offers the most reliable evidence that backs the Health Promoting School philosophy.
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