NZPHR Vol 8 No 5 May 2001
Tuesday 7th September 2010
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Contents and Lead Article
Contents:- Cigarette smoking declining in fourth form girls but not in boys.
- Leptospirosis fatality
- Pertussis epidemic declining
- Surveillance and control notes
Cigarette smoking declining in fourth form girls but not in boys.
Surveys of fourth form (Year 10) students reported a 37% increase in daily smoking from 11.6% in 1992 to 15.5% in 1997. We report the results of two further surveys carried out in 1998 and 1999 to determine trends in smoking prevalence among fourth form students. Data from students attending the 72 schools in all four surveys were analysed. The proportion of girls smoking at least monthly declined from a peak of 31.7% in 1997 to 30.0% in 1999, and the trend was particularly marked among Maori girls. In contrast, the prevalence of smoking in boys remained unchanged, at 23.1% in 1997 and 24.1% in 1999. The decrease between 1997 and 1999 for both sexes combined is very small, equal to two in 1000 fewer students each year having smoked in the last month, despite current youth anti-smoking efforts. The role of cigarette design and ingredients, in those brands still gaining in popularity among adolescents, needs investigation and regulating. Further national monitoring of fourth form smoking is required to confirm sex- and ethnic-specific smoking trends. Medical practitioners should opportunistically ask adolescents about smoking behaviour and advise accordingly, and promote smokefree homes, schools and public places.
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