A family member's job loss as a risk factor for smoking among adolescents.
Life events are associated with an increased likelihood of adolescent smoking. This study examined a family member's job loss as a predictor of smoking initiation over a 1-year period. Southern California students completed surveys in 6th and 7th grade. Of the 2,168 students, 252 (12%) reported that an adult in the household had lost a job within the past 6 months. Controlling for demographic, socioeconomic. educational, and parenting characteristics. 6th-grade never-smokers who reported a job loss were significantly more likely to have tried smoking by 7th grade and to have smoked in the past 30 days. Job loss for a household member is a risk factor for adolescents' involvement in problem behaviors such as smoking.
Unger
Jennifer B
JB
Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center, Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Alhambra, CA 91803, USA. unger@usc.edu
Hamilton
Jeffery E
JE
Sussman
Steve
S
D000293:Adolescent; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012944:Social Support; D014478:Unemployment / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*