title: Patterns and prevalence of smokeless tobacco use by high school seniors in New York.
abstract: Patterns and prevalence of smokeless tobacco use by high school seniors in New York state were identified in this study. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 10% of each senior class in 96 randomly selected public and nonpublic secondary schools in New York; 1,830 students participated. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, t-tests, and chi-square tests. Comparisons were made by gender, hometown status, concurrent use of smokeless tobacco and cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco use versus cigarette smoking. Results revealed a significant difference existed between males and females and between urban and rural smokeless tobacco use (p = .05). Use of chewing tobacco related significantly to use of cigarettes (p = .05). A significant difference existed between prevalence of cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use (p = .05). Smokeless tobacco use by high school seniors in New York is predominantly a habit of rural males. Use of chewing tobacco is related to cigarette smoking, and smokeless tobacco was less prevalent than cigarette smoking in the sample (p = .05). Further research on the relationship between smokeless tobacco and cigarette smoking should be conducted. Use of chemical assays or the bogus pipeline to validate self-reported data is recommended. Identified high-risk groups such as rural males should receive particular attention in future research efforts.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Adult, Counseling, Health, and Vocational Education, Kent State University, OH 44242.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Olds
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009518:New York; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless