Adolescents and Tobacco Use: Systematic Review of Qualitative Research Methodologies and Partial Synthesis of Findings

Abstract

After a brief overview of adolescent tobacco control, methodological features and content areas of 78 qualitative studies of adolescent smoking published in English prior to September 2002 were assessed. Narrative syntheses of three content areas - peer influences, access/sales issues, and dependence/addiction - were also undertaken. Many studies failed to provide sufficient sampling and subject characterization details and more effort was required to demonstrate data validity and reliability. Syntheses of the content areas revealed important common themes. Relationships to quantitative research were informative and suggested other research questions. The review highlights the heuristic value of qualitative research on adolescent smoking. Funding was provided by The Cancer Council New South Wales and NSW Health/Hunter Medical Research Institute.

Factors influencing psychoactive substance use among adolescents in public secondary schools in Uganda

“…Contrary to this study, Walsh and Tzelepis (2007) found that peer pressure to use substances was mentioned by a small number of students from low socio-economic status families. Walsh and Tzelepis, however, made their observations from a study done in the United Kingdom, where societal stratification is based, among other things, on social polymorphism.…”

“…Positive reinforcement probably occurs as substance use receives undeserving glorification as a cool, stylish, and trendy activity among youth. It has been suggested, for example, that peers encourage smoking initiation (Walsh & Tzelepis, 2007) and subsequent smoking behavior (Dawson, Sotelo, Roesch, & Klonoff, 2013), despite the health and social flaws associated with use of tobacco and its products (Jiloha, 2009). The phenomenon of peer influence and social learning is possibly reflected in media commercials portraying teenagers actively promoting alcoholic and tobacco products.…”

“…They maintain that sociologists and behaviorally oriented psychologists have built upon the social learning theory to assert that adolescents possibly acquire PASU behaviors from role models-especially peers and parents. For instance, it is widely documented that peer influence is a central factor in shaping adolescents' substance use and other interpersonal experiences (Rukundo, 2012;Walsh & Tzelepis, 2007). Thus, behavioral/social learning theories of substance use focus on interactive or social engagements as conjoined elements predicting PASU among adolescents (Dokua, Koivusiltac, Raisamob, & Rimpeläb, 2012;Fleary, Heffer, & McKyer, 2013;Seay & Kohl, 2013).…”

Outcome of a Tobacco Use Cessation Randomized Trial with High-School Students

“…In addition, campaigns encouraging teenagers to support their friends who are trying to quit smoking holds promise as one part of a maintenance program. In a recent review of qualitative research on adolescent tobacco use, Walsh and Tzelepis (2007) reported that, while teenagers thought that the emotional support of friends and family would be helpful to them in quitting smoking, few peers offer that support.…”

Disadvantaged youth and smoking in mature tobacco control contexts: a systematic review and synthesis of qualitative research

“…This disparity in prevalence is an opportunity for the tobacco industry to sustain itself in declining markets; its efforts to target disadvantaged groups have been documented 23 24. The need for qualitative research to understand how tobacco control impacts on disadvantaged groups has been recognised for some time,25 26 as has the need to research the social context of youth smoking 20 27 28. Qualitative research among adults shows that tobacco control policies are experienced differently by socioeconomic class and relative position 26 29.…”