Unemployment -- an important predictor for future smoking: a 14-year follow-up study of school leavers.

Full Abstract

AIMS:
To analyse predictors among pupils leaving compulsory school for smoking and high alcohol consumption as adults.

METHODS:
A prospective cohort study in which all pupils (N = 1083) in the last year of compulsory school were followed for 14 years. The data were collected through repeated comprehensive self-administered questionnaires.

RESULTS:
Smoking was better predicted than alcohol intake. The best predictors were earlier high alcohol intake and earlier smoking. Among other predictors, low grades, poor teachers' prognoses and early unemployment pointed to unfavourable health habits, mainly smoking.

CONCLUSIONS:
It is possible already at school to identify risk groups for future smoking and high alcohol consumption.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Hammarström, Anne (A); Janlert, Urban (U);

Affiliation: Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, SE-901 85 Umeå, Sweden. anne.hammarstrom(-atsign-)fammed.umu.se

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Scandinavian journal of public health (Scand J Public Health), published in Norway. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-; vol 31 (issue 3) : pp 229-32

Dates: Created 2003/07/09; Completed 2003/10/27; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12850978, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Forecasting
Health Behavior

Health Behavior
Humans
Male
Prospective Studies
Smoking - epidemiology
Student Dropouts - psychology
Unemployment - psychology

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

Early unemployment can contribute to adult health problems: results from a longitudinal study of school leavers. 30 Jul 2002
Unemployment as a disease and diseases of the unemployed. 30 Dec 1996
Adolescent participation in tobacco promotions: the role of psychosocial factors. 30 Jan 2003
Alcohol, tobacco, and father's aggressive behavior in relation to socioeconomic variables in Cretan low versus medium income families. 27 Feb 1993
Does drinking really decrease in bad times? 29 Jun 2002
Immune function declines with unemployment and recovers after stressor termination. 28 Mar 2007
Drinking and unemployment: contrasting patterns among men and women. 30 Dec 1994
A test of the hopelessness theory of depression in unemployed young adults. 30 Jan 1996
Long-term trends in cigarette smoking among young U.S. adults. 29 Apr 1997
Youth unemployment and mental health: some Dutch findings. 30 May 1997

See 100+ related articles.