title: Changes in tobacco use, susceptibility to future smoking, and quit attempts among Canadian youth over time: a comparison of off-reserve Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a growing inequity in tobacco use, susceptibility to future smoking, and quit attempts among Off-Reserve Aboriginal (ORA) youth in Canada relative to Non-Aboriginal youth. Current smoking, susceptibility to future smoking and quit attempts were examined among a nationally representative sample of ORA and Non-Aboriginal Canadian youth. Data are from  cross-sectional surveys of 88,661 respondents in Grades 6 to 9 across the 2004, 2006 and 2008 survey waves of the Youth Smoking Survey (YSS). At each wave, ORA youth were more likely to be current smokers (overall OR = 3.91, 95% CI 3.47 to 4.41), to be susceptible to future smoking (overall OR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.48), and less likely to have ever made a quit attempt compared to Non-Aboriginal youth (overall OR = 0.74,  95% CI 0.57 to 0.96). Although susceptibility to future smoking declined for  Non-Aboriginal youth, the prevalence of susceptibility remained stable among ORA youth. The percentage of ORA youth reporting making a quit attempt increased, however, current smoking rates among ORA youth did not decline. These findings suggest that the disparity in susceptibility to future tobacco use among ORA and Non-Aboriginal youth has increased over time. Despite increased rates of quit attempts, current smoking rates remain significantly higher among ORA youth. Tobacco control programs for Aboriginal youth should be a public health priority.
authors: School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada. sleather@uwaterloo.ca
authors: Tara
authors: T
authors: Elton-Marshall
authors: Scott T
authors: ST
authors: Leatherdale
authors: Robin
authors: R
authors: Burkhalter
authors: K Stephen
authors: KS
authors: Brown
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D044467:American Indian or Alaska Native / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*