School survey says 32p.c. smoke

Press, 12 April 1978, Page 6

School survey says 32p.c. smoke

PA Dunedin A survey of 997 thirdformers and fourth-formers at two co-educational New Zealand schools has shown that more than 32 per cent were regular smokers, with 15 per cent smoking more than two cigarettes a day. The survey found that the majority of smokers started before secondary school, that boys started earlier than girls, and that heavy smokers began earlier than light smokers.

! The pupils were classified in three categories, according to their responses to the questionnaire. They were nonsmokers, light smokers (two cigarettes or less a day), and heavy smokers (more than two cigarettes a day).

The pupils were surveyed in March, 1976, by a team from the epidemiology unit at the Wellington Hospital. The results were published in the “New Zealand Medical ! Journal.” The team consisted of Mr R. Beaglehole, the medical research council senior research fellow; Ms Elaine Eyles, a biostatistician; and Ms Winsome Harding, a nutrition research worker.

More than 80 per cent of the pupils agreed that smoking was a "waste of money” but only a scant 6 per cent would not admit that smoking was harmful to the health.

! The survey found that the pupils were aware of the long-term health consequences of smoking. Although the attitudes of smokers and non-smokers differed, 95 oer [cent of all pupils agreed that '•moking was harmful to health and 83 per cent agreed! that it causes cancer.

Of the non-smokers who gave up most did so because they disliked the habit. A

small number gave up because of indifference, sickness or fear of illness, interference with sports and lack of money. Although a chronic cough was rare among those surveyed nearly 15 per cent reported a morning cough and 21.5 per cent reported a cough during the day or nieht in the week preceding the survey.

i Non-smokers and those classified as light smokers felt that the main reason that students smoked was to be part of the group and to “show off,” but most of the heavy smokers did so because it was enjoyable. The team suggested that because the majority of smokers began smoking at either primary or intermediate school, active health education may have a greater chance of success closer to the time of onset of smoking rather than intervention during secondary schooling.

It also suggested that the reason that some persisted with the habit could possibly be attributed to immediate social pressure from their peers, but proof of this would require a further study of younger children. “The fact that cigarette smoking is having an adverse effect on the health of these adolescents is disturbing. Indeed, it has been shown that the health effects of smoking are already occurring in primary-school pupils,” says the report. “This study again shows the high prevalence of smoking in adolescents and highlights some of the social factors associated with smoking.

“Efforts must be made to evaluate ways of modifying these social factors. Further work is required with young children in order to identify more clearly those who are at risk of becoming smokers,” says the report.