The home smoking environment: influence on behaviors and attitudes in a racially diverse adolescent population.

Although studies indicate that public policy can influence the decrease in smoking behaviors, these policies have not necessarily transferred to home environments at the same rate. The authors surveyed 4,296 students in a southern urban area. African American students were 76.3% of the respondents and Caucasians accounted for 23.7%. African American homes are less likely to have full bans on smoking inside the home. Home smoking bans impact smoking behaviors, acceptance of smoking, susceptibility to smoking, smoking beliefs, and motivation to quit smoking. Along with home smoking bans, there are differences among African American and Caucasian youth in smoking exposure, behaviors, beliefs, and motivation to quit smoking. This study suggests that particularly in African American youth, educational efforts should be directed toward more restrictive home smoking policies to thwart the initiation of smoking in adolescents and to encourage positive attitudes toward smoking behaviors.

Prevalence of impaired driving behaviors in a diverse, rural, southern middle school.

Little research has been reported on the risky behaviors of pre-driving adolescents revolving around alcohol use, in particular impaired driving behaviors, which in general have been shown to be higher in rural areas. This study investigated the prevalence of drinking while driving and riding with a drinking driver among 290 middle school students in a Mississippi Delta area middle school. Just under half (45.3%) responded that at least once in the past 30 days they had ridden with a drinking driver and 17% indicated they had driven an automobile after drinking alcohol. The prevalence of underage drinking, driving under the influence of alcohol, and riding with a drinking driver among our sample of middle school students is alarming. This study shows alcohol-related driving behaviors are not solely performed by those who are legally licensed to drive, but simply by those who have access to vehicles. The authors recommend that prevention programs focusing on reducing the incidence of impaired driving should start in early adolescence.