Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Demographic Associations Of Tobacco Use Among Georgia Secondary Students, Michael G. Cowart

Public Health Theses

As in years past, use of tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death in this country. Smoking has been associated with elevated risks of 15 other forms of and has also been identified as a major cause of such chronic conditions as cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, bronchitis and emphysema. In 2008, an estimated 8.6 million Americans suffered from smoking-related chronic conditions (American Cancer Society, 2010).

As 80% of tobacco use begins in adolescence (Villanti, Boulay & Juon, 2010), this age group has long been the focus of intervention efforts. Furthermore, animal studies suggest that the adolescent brain is at …

Parental, Peer, And Tobacco Marketing Influences On Adolescent Smoking In South Africa, Reynolds A. Morrison

Public Health Theses

Tobacco use is a major preventable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Most smokers initiate smoking in childhood, become addicted, and continue the habit into adulthood. Various factors have been shown to impact smoking behavior. It is important to determine how these factors impact smoking behavior in developing regions of the world, such as in South Africa. This study examines the association between parental smoking status; peer smoking status; exposure to pro-tobacco marketing; and current smoking status among adolescents in South Africa. It also determines which factor is the most significant predictor of current smoking status among the study population …