Dataset Information

Social network and inequalities in smoking amongst school-aged adolescents in six European countries.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Smoking contributes to socio-economic health inequalities; but it is unclear how smoking inequalities emerge at a young age. So far, little attention has been paid to the role of friendship ties. We hypothesised that the combination of peer exposure and friendship social homophily may contribute to socio-economic inequalities in smoking at school.

Methods

In 2013, a social network survey was carried out in 50 schools in six medium-size European cities (Namur, Tampere, Hanover, Latina, Amersfoort, and Coimbra). Adolescents in grades corresponding to the 14-to-16 age group were recruited (n = 11.015, participation rate = 79.4 %). We modelled adolescents' smoking behaviour as a function of socio-economic background, and analysed the mediating role of social homophily and peer exposure.

Results

Lower socio-economic groups were more likely to smoke and were more frequently exposed to smoking by their close and distant friends, compared with adolescents of higher SES. The smoking risk of the lowest socio-economic group decreased after controlling for friends smoking and social homophily.

Conclusions

Smoking socio-economic inequalities amongst adolescents are driven by friendship networks.

SUBMITTER: Lorant V

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5288430 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Social network and inequalities in smoking amongst school-aged adolescents in six European countries.

Lorant Vincent V Rojas Victoria Soto VS Robert Pierre-Olivier PO Kinnunen Jaana M JM Kuipers Mirte A G MA Moor Irene I Roscillo Gaetano G Alves Joana J Rimpelä Arja A Federico Bruno B Richter Matthias M Perelman Julian J Kunst Anton E AE

International journal of public health 20160512 1

<h4>Objectives</h4>Smoking contributes to socio-economic health inequalities; but it is unclear how smoking inequalities emerge at a young age. So far, little attention has been paid to the role of friendship ties. We hypothesised that the combination of peer exposure and friendship social homophily may contribute to socio-economic inequalities in smoking at school.<h4>Methods</h4>In 2013, a social network survey was carried out in 50 schools in six medium-size European cities (Namur, Tampere, H ...[more]

PMID: 27173164

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Project description:The increasing denormalization of smoking by tobacco control policies and a normative smoke-free climate may shift power towards adolescent non-smokers. It is unclear, however, how common stigmatization of smokers is among adolescents or how stigmatization relates to the denormalization of smoking in their school and social environment. This paper aims to measure (1) whether stigmatization among European adolescents varies according to smoking status and socioeconomic position (SES), and (2) whether stigmatization is greater in school environments in which smoking is denormalized (i.e. those with low smoking rates and strong school tobacco policies). Data on 12,991 adolescents were collected in 55 schools in seven European countries (SILNE R-survey, 2016/17). We applied Stuber's adapted scale of perceived stereotyping and discrimination towards smokers to smoking status and five variables indicating a power shift towards non-smokers: the school's tobacco control policy (STP) score, the percentage of adolescents in the school who smoke, parents' level of education, students' academic performance, and the percentage of their friends who smoke. Multilevel regressions were applied to the global score for perceived stigmatization. Discrimination against smokers and stereotyping of smokers were frequently reported. Smokers reported less 'perceived stigmatization of smoking' than non-smokers (Beta = -0.146, p < 0.001). High-SES students reported stereotyping and discrimination more frequently than lower-SES students. The perception of stigmatization was lower among students whose academic performance was poor (Beta = -0.070, p < 0.001) and among those who had friends who smoked (Beta = -0.141, p < 0.001). Stigmatization was lower in schools with greater exposure to smoking and was not associated with the school's STP score. Perceived stigmatization of smoking is common among European adolescents. Smokers themselves, however, perceive stigmatization less often than non-smokers. Strong school tobacco policies do not increase stigmatization, but a social environment that is permissive of smoking decreases perceived stigmatization.

Dataset Information

Social network and inequalities in smoking amongst school-aged adolescents in six European countries.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Social network and inequalities in smoking amongst school-aged adolescents in six European countries.

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