Factors underlying smoking recruitment and maintenance amongst adolescents

Nurses and smoking: review and implications

An analysis of smoking behavior among nurses shows unacceptably high levels of smoking, despite some evidence of a downward trend. In this article, the nature of tobacco dependence is examined, and an extensive review of demographic and causative factors associated with the smoking behavior of nurses is presented. The impact of smoking on the practice of nurses, particularly related to their ability to serve as health educators and role models, is critically examined. Areas for potential research and inquiry, along with some overall strategies for intervention, are identified.

Role modelling and cigarette smoking: vulnerable working class girls? A longitudinal study

Risk factors for the onset of cigarette smoking were examined by means of a prospective longitudinal study in 1230 Norwegian adolescents aged 12-18. In particular the importance of role modelling was focused. The findings revealed that the age period between 12 and 15 is most important when it comes to the initiation of smoking. Among those who initiate smoking, the incidence rates of quitting is low, indicating that most of the initiators quickly seem to develop a relatively stable smoking habit. Smoking initiation can be divided into two stages. The first, experimental one, is predicted by peer modelling and low socioeconomic status (SES). The second, establishing a regular pattern of use, is predicted by modelling of parental smoking and the interaction between female sex and low SES. Studying the characteristics of the regular smokers cross-sectionally, peer modeling showed the strongest correlates. Studying the predictors of the transitions longitudinally, the more complex picture described above was uncovered. This indicates that the complexity of the role modelling process can only be simulated adequately by means of prospective research methods and by paying attention to such parameters as gender, age, SES and stage in the smoking acquisition process.

Addiction as an Adaptive Response: Is Smoking a Functional Behavior?

Theories on tobacco addiction divide into two camps, the exposure orientation and the adaptive orientation. The exposure orientation suggests that the use of tobacco is addictive because of the reinforcement properties of tobacco or because of tobacco's biochemical-altering effects. The adaptive orientation views tobacco addiction as a functional response to distress and, therefore, a form of sub-optimal adaptive behavior. Though the two views are not mutually exclusive, the case is made that the primary cause of addiction is explained by the adaptive orientation, and not the exposure orientation. Viewing not only tobacco addiction but all addictions from the adaptive orientation suggests different approaches to social policy and psychotherapy than those presently espoused by the exposure orientation.