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Poster presentation
What do adolescents want from smoking cessation
services?
Emma Croghan
Abstract
Background: a priori, we assume that because two thirds
of young people say they want to quit, if we provide services
for them, two thirds of young smokers will attend. However,
when services were provided, numbers were far less than
anticipated. This study aimed to find out how many young
smokers want help to stop smoking and what kind of help
they would like.
Methods: School based survey in 4 schools in South Staffordshire,
which were socially and economically representative. This
was supported by individual interviews with 3 pupils in
each school who self identified in the survey questionnaire.
Results: 71% response rate. Rates of regular smoking
were higher in girls and reached a peak of 41% at 16.
Most girls would like to stop at some time in the future,
whilst most boys would like to stop within the next month.
Nearly all of the responses where a reason for stopping
smoking was provided indicated an intrinsic (internal)
reason for altering smoking behaviour. Overall, girls
were much more likely than boys to feel that they required
some form of support to stop smoking (OR 2.02, 95% CI
1.18 to 3.50). Most commonly requested support mechanisms
were groups and pharmacology, even though most young people
did not think they could have pharmacological support.
Conclusions: Information should be targeted specifically
at young people to give information about quitting in
adolescence and services available to remove the barriers
which currently exist. It may be worth considering gender
and age specific services to meet young peoples requirements.
Emma Croghan
Errisbeg House, Barton Turns,
Barton under Needwood, Staffs DE13 8HA
Tel: 01283 711229
ecconsultnow@aol.com
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