Search

Objectives. This study assessed progress in achieving clean indoor air in California. Methods. Data were from large, cross-sectional population-based surveys (1990-1999). Results. Indoor workers reporting smoke-free workplaces increased from 35.0% (95% confidence interval [Cl]=33.7, 36.3) in 1990 to 93.4% (95% Cl =92.6, 94.2) in 1999. Exposure of nonsmoking indoor workers to secondhand tobacco smoke decreased from 29.0% (95% Cl=27.2, 30.8) to 15.6% (95% Cl=14.1, 17.1). Adults with smoke-free homes increased from 37.6% (95% Cl=35.1, 40.1) in 1992 to 73.7% (95% Cl=73.2, 74.2) in 1999; nearly half of smokers in 1999 had smoke-free homes. In 1999, 82.2% (95% Cl =81.5, 82.9) of children and adolescents (0-17 years) had smoke-free homes, up from 38.0% (95% Cl=35.1, 40.9) in 1992. Conclusions. California's advances highlight an important opportunity for tobacco control.

Teenage non-smokers who recognize tobacco advertisements and have some type of product promoting a certain brand are likely to experiment with smoking. Researchers asked 1,752 teenage non-smokers if they had seen tobacco ads and whether they had any promotional items such as T-shirts that advertised a specific brand of cigarettes. Those who had a favorite ad were twice as likely to begin smoking and those who used a promotional item were three times as likely to begin. Tobacco promotion thus accounts for one-third of new smokers in California, where the study was done., Context.--Whether tobacco advertising and promotion increases the likelihood that youths will begin smoking has important public policy implications. Objective.--To evaluate the association between receptivity to tobacco advertising and promotional activities and progress in the smoking uptake process, defined sequentially as never smokers who would not consider experimenting with smoking, never smokers who would consider experimenting, experimenters (smoked at least once but fewer than 100 cigarettes), or established smokers (smoked at least 100 cigarettes). Design.--Prospective cohort study with a 3-year follow-up through November 1996. Setting and Participants.--A total of 1752 adolescent never smokers who were not susceptible to smoking when first interviewed in 1993 in a population-based random-digit dial telephone survey in California were reinterviewed in 1996. Main Outcome Measure.--Becoming susceptible to smoking or experimenting by 1996. Results.--More than half the sample (n=979) named a favorite cigarette advertisement in 1993 and Joe Camel advertisements were the most popular. Less than 5% (n=92) at baseline possessed a promotional item but a further 10% (n= 172) were willing to use an item. While having a favorite advertisement in 1993 predicted which adolescents would progress by 1996 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-3.20), possession or willingness to use a promotional item was even more strongly associated with future progression (OR=2.89; 95% CI, 1.47-5.68). From these data, we estimate that 34% of all experimentation in California between 1993 and 1996 can be attributed to tobacco promotional activities. Nationally, this would be over 700 000 adolescents each year. Conclusion.--These findings provide the first longitudinal evidence to our knowledge that tobacco promotional activities are causally related to the onset of smoking. JAMA 1998;279:511-515

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance adolescents place on preventive health behaviors. Methods. Data were from a survey of California adolescents (n = 5040). Respondents were asked how important it was to their peers to avoid drugs, marijuana, cigarettes, heavy drinking, and drinking and driving and to maintain seat belt use, fitness, weight control, and healthy eating habits. Results were compared with data from a similar national survey (n = 6126). Results. California teenagers perceived that their peers gave top priority to weight control: 85% of California teenagers believed that weight control was of high concern to girls in their age group. Avoiding drugs, not drinking and driving, and maintaining fitness ranked in the top five behaviors. The lowest ranked health behaviors were seat belt use, heavy drinking, and, last, eating healthily. In the national survey, healthy eating also ranked last. Although not identical in rank, teenage priorities for other health behaviors were consistent with the California results. Conclusion. Efforts are needed to bring adolescent health norms more into line with the objective risks of their health choices during this critical period of socialization. (Am J Public Health. 1995; 85:1064-1069), Teenagers appear to have health concerns that are not reflective of the real risks. Researchers compared data from surveys of California teenagers and teenagers nationwide. The surveys asked how important the respondent believed it was to their peers not to use illicit drugs, smoke, drink heavily, or drink and drive, and how important it was to use seat belts, control weight, and eat well. California teens paralleled teens nationwide on every item. They ranked weight control as the number one concern whereas eating healthy food ranked last. Wearing seatbelts ranked next to last in both populations. Not driving when drunk ranked high, but not getting drunk ranked much lower. The belief that peers supported avoiding drugs, smoking, and drinking declined by 40% from age 12 to 13 to age 17. Blacks were less likely than whites to perceive support for avoiding drugs.

Williams and Hazer (1986) explicated the antecedents and consequences of job satisfaction and organizational commitment on turnover. Their causal model related personal and organizational characteristics to satisfaction, satisfaction to commitment, and commitment to turnover intention. Their structural equation reanalysis of cross-sectional data from Michaels and Spector (1982) and Bluedorn (1982) support the model. The present study applied structural equation methodology to assess the plausibility of this model with longitudinal data from 440 Ss. Only partial support was obtained for the model. The relations among satisfaction, commitment, and reenlistment intention changed with increased tenure in the organization. This finding suggests that commitment and satisfaction may be either cyclically or reciprocally related. The implications for future research are discussed. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Presents a study to examine trends in smoking behavior before, during, and after the California Tobacco Control Program. Design; Main outcome measures; Results; Conclusions.

Three algebraic models for inequity were shown to be simply testable in terms of their additivity structure. The model from integration theory correctly represented the sequence of comparisons, first between persons, then between input and outcome. Also, it gave a good though not perfect account of the additivity structure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This experiment compared a weighted-average model from information integration theory with McGuire's inoculation theory as explanations of the "paper tiger" effect. Ss were 24 male and 24 female American college students. Procedure and design were similar to that used by McGuire, and his messages were used verbatim. Each S indicated his attitude on each of four health issues and also made direct estimates of the weight and scale value of each piece of information upon his attitude. An apparent paper tiger effect was observed for some issues, but the opposite effect was observed for other issues. The predictions of the averaging model were quite good in six of eight cases. The two discrepancies seemed to reflect an underestimation of the importance of attacking message. Overall, the results were interpreted as supportive of the informational interpretation. No need was found for the motivational concepts of belief threat and refutational practice used in inoculation theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]