current tobacco use - north dakota department of health · the north dakota youth tobacco survey...
TRANSCRIPT
The North Dakota Youth Tobacco Survey (YTS) has been conducted in the spring of odd years since 2003. The YTS is designed to measure a variety of factors related to tobacco products among high school students and to assess how these factors change over time. These factors often contribute to behaviors that are established during youth, extend into adulthood and are frequently interrelated.
Questions were asked in a variety of categories, including prevalence and established habits of cigarette, spit-tobacco and other tobacco use; age of initiation; access to tobacco; information learned in school; cessation beliefs and attempts; knowledge and attitudes; community influence; media influence; and exposure to and beliefs about secondhand smoke. This summary reveals a portion of those results – those regarding health and social beliefs about tobacco and tobacco-related community and media influences.
In 2009, a total of 1,695 surveys were completed in grades nine through 12 and were then analyzed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To ensure that the results are representative of all high school students from eligible North Dakota public schools, the CDC weighted the data. All results presented in this summary are weighted and are from grades nine through 12.
Current Tobacco Use
The current rate of cigarette smoking among high school students has decreased slightly since 2003. The rate of spit-tobacco use has gone up slightly and the rate of cigar smoking has remained about the same since 2003.
2009 North Dakota
Youth Tobacco Survey
Current Tobacco Use (Grades 9-12)
Perc
enta
ge
26.3 27.522.1 22.9
10.0 12.7 10.2 13.4 10.1 12.0 8.9 9.4
0
20
40
60
80
100
Current cigarettesmokers
Current spit tobaccousers
Current cigarsmokers
2003200520072009
Health Beliefs About Tobacco
The number of students who think it is safe to smoke for a year or two fell slightly between 2003 and 2009. The number of students who think that spit tobacco is safer than cigarettes rose slightly between 2005 and 2009.
The number of students who believe light cigarettes are less risky fell between 2003 and 2009.
For the first time, on the 2007 YTS survey, students were asked for their opinions about where smoking and secondhand smoke exposure should be allowed. Numbers remained consistent in 2009.
An ongoing trend since 2003 is that nearly all students believe they can get addicted to tobacco just like cocaine or heroin and nearly all believe they can cause themselves harm by smoking just a few cigarettes a day.
Health Beliefs About Tobacco
Perc
enta
ge
90.4 90.790.7 89.590.0 89.7 93.193.0
0
20
40
60
80
100 2003200520072009
Think people can get addicted to tobacco just
like cocaine or heroin
Think youth risk harming themselves if they smoke
between 1-5 cigarettes per day
18.611.0
16.723.2
12.6 14.413.9
29.0
10.6
0
20
40
60
80
100
Think it is safe tosmoke for a year or two
Think spit tobacco issafer then cigarettes
Of those who havetried smoking, those
that think lightcigarettes are less risky
2003200520072009
Perc
enta
ge
Health Beliefs About Tobacco
83.6 80.1 84.783.2 84.1 88.274.6
73.7
0
20
40
60
80
100
Never allowsmoking in
home
Never allowsmoking in car
Never allowsmoking in
work places
Never allowsmoking in
public places
20072009
Perc
enta
ge
What Students Think About Secondhand Smoke
Social Beliefs About TobaccoAccording to the students’ social beliefs about smoking, it is becoming a less popular activity. The percentage of students who think smokers have more friends and the percentage who think smokers look cool have decreased since 2005.
There is a high percentage of students who would prefer to date a nonsmoker. The increase in this number since 2005 may indicate that smoking is becoming increasingly socially unacceptable.
Of students who have never smoked cigarettes, the percentage who said they would not smoke even if their best friend offered them a cigarette has remained very high since 2003.
Perc
enta
ge
Social Beliefs About Tobacco
19.713.2 10.012.2
15.212.3 10.1
14.9
0
20
40
60
80
100
Think smokers have morefriends
Think smokers look "cool" or"fit in"
2003200520072009
Perc
enta
ge
Students Who Would Prefer To Date a Nonsmoker
71.578.3
75.0
0
20
40
60
80
100
2005 2007 2009
Perc
enta
ge
Students Who Have Never Smoked Cigarettes and Would Not Smoke if Best Friend Offered
83.1 84.3 83.1 86.0
0
20
40
60
80
100
2003 2005 2007 2009
Community Influence and Media InfluenceThe percentage of high school students being taught about the dangers of tobacco and the dangers of secondhand smoke declines as the students progress through high school.
A high percentage of students are viewing commericals about the dangers of cigarette smoke. Although percentages are falling slightly, high levels of students also are seeing actors using tobacco in movies or on TV, which could be influencing their decisions. One good indi-cator is that the number of students seeing athletes using tobacco is decreasing.
For more information about tobacco use in North Dakota contact:Tobacco Prevention and Control ProgramNorth Dakota Department of Health600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 301Bismarck, N.D. 58505-0200www.ndhealth.gov/tobacco701.328.3138800.280.5512 (toll-free)
Perc
enta
ge
Students in Grades 9-12 Who Were Taught About...
Media Influence and Tobacco Use
Perc
enta
ge
87.1
27.0 24.4
83.976.0
81.9
20.7
89.4 85.478.2
20.3
81.2
0
20
40
60
80
100
Commercials ondangers of cigarette
smoke
Have seen actors using Have seen athletesusing
2003200520072009
56.5
45.9
30.434.6
50.6
39.5
27.6 26.7
76.6
64.3 67.959.0
0
20
40
60
80
100
Dangers oftobacco use this
year
Dangers of SHSthis year
Dangers of SHSprevious year
9th Grade10th Grade11th Grade12th Grade