Amanda Amos, Colin Lumsdaine, Colin Morrison and Ian Fyfe.
Presenter(s)
Professor Amanda Amos Professor of Health Promotion, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh
Colin Lumsdaine Senior Health Promotion Specialist (Tobacco and Young People), Health Promotion Service, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh
Abstract
Reducing young people’s access to tobacco is a key element of smoking prevention. A main way that young people access cigarettes is through social sources ie friends, family, proxy sales. However, there is a lack of effective interventions on this. The project involved young people from four youth projects in Lothian using a participatory research method (social action) to investigate under 18 year olds’ access to tobacco through social sources, and to design and pilot community-based interventions to address this. The projects lasted 12 months, and were evaluated using focus groups with participants, interviews with youth workers, and youth workers’ weekly written reports/reflections.
The projects developed different approaches to exploring this issue, though all undertook a local survey. Engaging and sustaining disadvantaged young people’s interest in this issue using a social action approach proved challenging. Time and support was needed before participants took ownership of an issue not necessarily seen as important. Where successful, young people’s views shifted, their competence and confidence to seek change emerged, their primary interest became challenging adult complicity to supply cigarettes. Workers needed to develop specific skills to use this approach. The presentation will discuss implications for future work with young people on this issue.
