Overreporting of smokeless tobacco use by adolescent males.
This study evaluates the impact of a pipeline assessment (salivary cotinine determination) on the accuracy of self-reported use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco by 160 rural seventh- and eighth-grade males ranging in age from 12 to 16. Half of them were randomly assigned to complete a questionnaire on tobacco use prior to revealing the biochemical validation materials and collecting samples. The others had the samples collected prior to receiving and completing the questionnaires. The questionnaire-first group reported significantly greater smokeless tobacco use than did the pipeline-first group. Only for the latter were their self-reports significantly corroborated by the cotinine results. These results suggest that the utilization of a biochemical pipeline not only can improve self-reported tobacco use but also may help identify perceptions about the social desirability of using harmful substances.
Cohen
S J
SJ
Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202.
Katz
B P
BP
Drook
C A
CA
Christen
A G
AG
McDonald
J L
JL
Olson
B L
BL
Cloys
L A
LA
Stookey
G K
GK
D000293:Adolescent; D001944:Breath Tests; D003367:Cotinine / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D012463:Saliva / Q000032:analysis; D014026:Nicotiana; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless; D014342:Truth Disclosure
D003367:Cotinine