Healthy behaviors, lifestyle, and reasons for quitting smoking among out-of-school youth

Abstract

Study objective: To investigate the relationships among healthy behavior, healthy values, social influences, and quitting smoking in adolescents not attending school.

Design: Following screening procedures, young smokers independently completed a self-report questionnaire administered by trained staff.

Setting: Vocational (TAFE) colleges and Commonwealth Employment Offices (CES) from varying socioeconomic localities were selected as sites to intercept smoking adolescents on their attitudes about quitting smoking.

Subjects: Youth attending vocational colleges or CES.

Results and conclusions: There were no differences between the two groups of smokers (vocational students and unemployed youth). The decision to quit smoking among these youth is based on a number of factors including social and personal reasons. Health-oriented values were found to be more highly associated with quitting behavior than social influences. Programs for smoking cessation need to be focused on an overall health and improvement approach rather than only a quit-smoking approach.