Predictors of intentions to use tobacco among adolescent survivors of cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship between knowledge of tobacco-related health risks, perceptions of vulnerability to these health risks, and future intentions to use tobacco in a sample of adolescent survivors of cancer.

METHODS

Written self-report questionnaires were administered to 46 survivors, 10-18 years of age (61% males, 93.5% Caucasian).

RESULTS

Overall, survivors were generally knowledgeable about tobacco-related health risks, perceived themselves to be vulnerable to these health risks, and reported low future intentions to use tobacco. Regression analyses indicated that demographic factors, treatment-related variables, knowledge, and perceived vulnerability explained 28% of the variance in intentions scores, F:(6, 39) = 2.52, p <.05. Age and knowledge were significant predictors, indicating that older adolescent survivors and those with lower knowledge scores reported greater intentions to use tobacco.

CONCLUSIONS

Young survivors will benefit from risk counseling interventions that educate them about their susceptibility to specific tobacco-related health risks secondary to their cancer treatment. Intensive tobacco prevention programs that target older adolescents should be developed.