Smoking, parent smoking, depressed mood, and suicidal ideation in teens.
OBJECTIVE
We address whether smoking is related to suicidal ideation in teens and whether there is evidence of a causal pathway.


METHODS
We use data from the 2002 National Annenberg Survey of Youth and employ multivariate logistic regression to model each teen's risk of suicidal ideation as a function of self-report of depressive symptoms, own smoking, parent smoking, and demographic and household income variables.


RESULTS
Individuals reporting depressive symptoms have an increased risk of suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR] = 13.13; 95% CI = 5.98-28.81). Relative to teens who do not smoke and whose parents do not smoke, teens who smoke and do not have a parent who smokes have increased risk of suicidal ideation (OR = 8.10; 95% CI = 2.88-22.80), whereas those with a parent who smokes do not have a statistically significant increased risk of suicidal ideation regardless of teen smoking behavior.


CONCLUSIONS
Relative to teens who do not smoke and do not have parents who smoke, suicidal ideation risk is increased in teens who smoke only if they do not have a parent who smokes. We find evidence that the smoking and suicidal ideation of the teens is likely due to common psychosocial causes rather than a causal pathway from smoking to suicidal ideation.
Hockenberry
Jason M
JM
Center for Research in the Implementation of Innovative Strategies in Practice, Iowa City VA Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, USA. jason-hockenberry@uiowa.edu
Timmons
Edward J
EJ
Vander Weg
Mark
M
D000293:Adolescent; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*