title: Perceptions of health risk and smoking decisions of young people.
abstract: Using the Annenberg Perception of Tobacco Risk Survey 2, this paper finds that perceived risk deters smoking among persons aged 14-22 years who think that it is relatively difficult to quit smoking and that onset of deleterious health effects occurs relatively quickly. Perceived health risk, however, does not affect the smoking status of young people who hold the opposite beliefs. These results are consistent with predictions of rational addiction models and suggest that young people, who view smoking as more addictive and health effects as more immediate, may have greater incentive to consider long-term health effects in their decision to smoke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA. sgerking@bus.ucf.edu
authors.forename: Shelby
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gerking
authors.forename: Raman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khaddaria
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000523:psychology