Association of various components of media literacy and adolescent smoking

Am J Health Behav. 2009 Mar-Apr;33(2):192-201. doi: 10.5993/ajhb.33.2.8.

Abstract

Objective: To determine which specific aspects of media literacy were most strongly associated with smoking outcomes.

Methods: Students at a public high school responded to cross-sectional survey items measuring smoking outcomes, components of media literacy, and other variables.

Results: Of the 1211 participants, 19% were current smokers (N = 216) and 40% of the nonsmokers (N = 342) were susceptible to smoking. In the adjusted models, current smoking was most strongly related to representation-reality domain items, but susceptibility to smoking was associated with each of the media literacy domains.

Conclusion: Varied relationships exist between individual facets of media literacy and smoking outcomes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior*
  • Comprehension*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Health Education / methods*
  • Health Promotion
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Media*
  • Smoking / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires