Learning Objectives: Understand the need for increased surveillance and targeted programming for young female adults.
Abstract:
Problem/Objective:To identify trends of current cigarette use among young adults in New York State.
Methods:BRFSS data from 1997-2001 were analyzed for prevalence of current cigarette use by age, gender and education level. SAS and SUDAAN software were used for determination of sample frequency, confidence intervals and significant trend analyses.
Results:Analysis of BRFSS data from 1997-2001 by age category demonstrated increased current cigarette smoking among adults aged 18-24 years. Further analyses stratified by gender and age showed a statistically significant (p<0.05) increase in prevalence of current smoking for females aged 18-24 years and no change for males of the same age group. Prevalence of current smoking among women aged 18-24 years progressively increased from 23.2% in 1997 to 35.5% in 2001. Analysis of females at-risk for current cigarette use by education level showed an increase of prevalence for those with less than or equal to a high school educational level from 1997-2001. There was little difference in prevalence for those with one or more years of college level education from 1997-2001.
Conclusions:Other analyses of survey data have demonstrated a similar inverse association of education and current cigarette use. These data illustrate that young females, who do not attend college and may be targeted by the tobacco industry, represent a disproportionately affected population. Increased surveillance of young adults in both college campuses as well as those not attending college will provide more information while tobacco control programs begin to focus on this underserved population.
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