Sense of Coherence and Tobacco Use Myths Among Adolescents as Predictors of At-Risk Youth Cigarette Use

Abstract

We examined the association between a general construct of wellness beliefs, sense of coherence, and a specific measure of tobacco-related beliefs, tobacco use myths, as predictors of two smoking -related outcome measures - next year smoking expectation and last 30-day smoking. Self-report questionnaires were administered to 710 adolescents attending California continuation high schools at baseline and at one-year follow-up between 2006 and 2008. Cross-sectionally, predictor and outcome measures were correlated. However, in longitudinal analyses, only tobacco use myths predicted change in outcome measures. We speculate that future smoking interventions among adolescents would achieve relatively efficacious outcomes by targeting specific health beliefs instead of global health beliefs. The study’s limitations are noted. Funding: National Institute on Drug Abuse and Tobacco Related Disease Research Program.

Sense of Coherence and Gambling: Exploring the Relationship Between Sense of Coherence, Gambling Behaviour and Gambling-Related Harm

“…Nilsson et al 2007). Similar findings have been noted with smoking (El-Shahawy et al 2015;Gajdosova et al 2009;Glanz et al 2005;Igna et al 2008) and drug use (García-Moya et al 2013;Humphrey and McDowell 2013;Lundqvist 1995), particularly in relation to explaining differences in treatment outcomes (Abramsohn et al 2009;Andersen and Berg 2001;Feigin and Sapir 2005). Given that, like gambling, the adoption and patterns of these behaviours vary between individuals exposed to the same socio-ecological environments, SOC may explain some of the variance in gambling behaviour and gambling related harm.…”

“…The final objective is to examine whether there are differences in the influence of SOC on gambling-related harm, given that experiences of harm are not homogenous. Previous findings in relation to SOC and health behaviours such as smoking (El-Shahawy et al 2015;Gajdosova et al 2009;Igna et al 2008) and alcohol consumption (Humphrey and McDowell 2013;Kuuppelomäki and Utriainen 2003;Midanik et al 1992;Neuner et al 2006), and their subsequent health outcomes support a hypothesis that stronger SOC will be related to lower prevalence of problem gambling and lower impact from gambling related harm. If significant, this relationship provides a way of understanding the interaction between the individual and socio-ecological determinants of health that impact on gambling and the potential of SOC as a protective factor against problem gambling and gambling-related harm.…”

Why are some people who have received overdose education and naloxone reticent to call Emergency Medical Services in the event of overdose?

“…As adversaries in the War on Drugs street-based PWID have been subject to targeted policing strategies and harsh mandatory sentences. This decades-long conflict has disproportionately affected poor and minority communities (Alexander, 2012; Bluthenthal, Lorvick, Kral, Erringer, & Kahn, 1999; Cooper, 2015; Corva, 2008; Flath, Tobin, King, Lee, & Latkin, 2017; Moore & Elkavich, 2008; Wacquant, 2009, 2010). Beginning in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the War on Drugs was augmented by Broken Windows and zero tolerance policies for policing poor communities—strategies that rely on controlling space and preventing an escalation in crime through increased surveillance and vigorous enforcement of minor offenses (Mitchell, 2010; Smith, 2001).…”

Cigarette smoking risk-reducing beliefs: Findings from the United States Health Information National Trends Survey

“…Although domain-specific beliefs (e.g., those related to one specific health behavior) are important predictors of behavior (El-Shahawy et al, 2015), it may be that individuals' beliefs about behaviors are more complex and cross-over from one behavior to another. In particular, people may believe that engaging in health promoting behaviors reduces the risks associated with risk-taking behaviors.…”