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Home / American Journal of Health Behavior, Volume 29, Number 2

Smoking Decisions from a Teen Perspective: A Narrative Study

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Objective: To explore the transitional phase between experimental and regular smoking from the perspective of teens. Method: Narrative analysis of semistructured, individual interviews. Results: The need to belong and immediate social gain are major themes influencing teen smoking decisions. Conclusions: Our findings have significance for public health workers planning and implementing tobacco-use prevention programs aimed at teens whose smoking behaviors are not yet determined by nicotine addiction. How such programs have been traditionally framed and the ways in which peer influence and risk behaviors have been addressed may be largely irrelevant to the rationale of the adolescents themselves.

Keywords: narrative inquiry; smoking; teens; tobacco control

Document Type: Research Article

Affiliations: 1: British Columbia Cancer Agency, Centre for the Southern Interior, Kelowna, BC, Canada 2: Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada 3: School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada 4: Nursing and Health Behaviour Research Unit, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada

Publication date: 01 March 2005

More about this publication?

  • The American Journal of Health Behavior seeks to improve the quality of life through multidisciplinary health efforts in fostering a better understanding of the multidimensional nature of both individuals and social systems as they relate to health behaviors.

    The Journal aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of personal attributes, personality characteristics, behavior patterns, social structure, and processes on health maintenance, health restoration, and health improvement; to disseminate knowledge of holistic, multidisciplinary approaches to designing and implementing effective health programs; and to showcase health behavior analysis skills that have been proven to affect health improvement and recovery.

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