NCJ Number
205027
Journal
Drug and Alcohol Review Volume: 23 Issue: 1 Dated: March 2004 Pages: 101-106
Date Published
March 2004
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article discusses smoking behavior among Indigenous secondary school students in Australia.
Abstract
Smoking is a particularly relevant health risk factor for Indigenous people because of their much higher rates of cigarette smoking. Almost one-half of the Indigenous population aged 14 years or older report smoking cigarettes on a daily basis, compared to approximately 20 percent of other Australians. A sample of schools in north Queensland with large proportions of Indigenous students was selected to investigate smoking behavior among youth. Data were collected on the cultural, social, and psychological factors associated with cigarette smoking in both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. The results showed similarities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students regarding their smoking levels, where they obtained their cigarettes, and reasons for not smoking. The influence of the social environment within the school and the community may have as much influence on the initiation and use of tobacco by students as their cultural heritage. Regardless of indigenous status (or race or ethnicity), having a family that permits smoking and having friends that smoke influences smoking patterns. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students reported the effects of smoking on the body as a key motivator for not smoking. The cultural difference between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students may be more predominant in the home and less in the school setting or the community. It may be that geographical location rather than ethnicity/race is the more important determinant of smoking in regional areas. The results indicate the potential importance of school communities in promoting non-smoking behaviors among Indigenous students even in the face of strong normative pressures from elsewhere in the community. 2 tables, 19 references