Who is Most Susceptible to Movie Smoking Effects? Exploring the Impacts of Race and Socio-Economic Status

Citation

Soneji, Samir; Lewis, Valerie A.; Tanski, Susanne; & Sargent, James D. (2012). Who is Most Susceptible to Movie Smoking Effects? Exploring the Impacts of Race and Socio-Economic Status. Addiction, 107(12), 2201-2209. PMCID: PMC3465477

Abstract

AIMS: This study assesses how race/ethnicity and socio-economic status modify the relationship between exposure to movie smoking and having tried smoking in adolescents.
DESIGN: Data come from a cross-sectional telephone survey and were analyzed using logistic regression models. A respondent reporting ever having tried smoking was regressed on exposure to movie smoking, race, socio-economic status, the interactions of these variables and family and background characteristics.
SETTING: National sample of US adolescents.
PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3653 respondents aged 13-18 years.
MEASUREMENTS: Outcome was if subjects reported ever having tried smoking. Movie smoking exposure was assessed through respondents' reporting having watched a set of movie titles, which were coded for smoking instances.
FINDINGS: The proportion having tried smoking was lower for blacks (32%) compared to Hispanics (41%) and whites (38%). The relationship between movie smoking and having tried smoking varied by race/ethnicity. Among whites and Hispanics exposure to movie smoking positively predicted smoking behavior, but movie smoking had no impact on blacks. Socio-economic status further modified the relation among whites; high socio-economic status white adolescents were more susceptible to movie smoking than low socio-economic status white adolescents.
CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to movie smoking is not experienced uniformly as a risk factor for having ever tried smoking among US adolescents. Whites and Hispanics are more likely to try smoking as a function of increased exposure to movie smoking. In addition, higher socio-economic status increases susceptibility to movie smoking among whites. Youth with fewer risk factors may be more influenced by media messages on smoking.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03990.x

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2012

Journal Title

Addiction

Author(s)

Soneji, Samir
Lewis, Valerie A.
Tanski, Susanne
Sargent, James D.

Article Type

Report

PMCID

PMC3465477

Data Set/Study

Dartmouth Media Study

Continent/Country

United States

State

Nonspecific