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Session: Tobacco Use
Room: Ball Room
Time: Fri 16:00-17:15

Presenter: Joachim Marti (University of Neuchatel. Institute for research in economics)

Abstract

The last decade witnessed an important reduction in tobacco use in Switzerland. The smoking rate among the population aged 15 and over decreased five percentage points during the period, to reach 27% in 2008. Nevertheless, smoking participation in the country is still quite high compared to the participation rate in other developed countries. To achieve an additional decline in participation, smoking cessation must be enhanced, and smoking initiation must be reduced. We have little evidence that tobacco control efforts have influenced smoking initiation in Switzerland; it seems more likely that they influenced smoking cessation. When we analyse retrospective information about smoking behaviour in Switzerland, we notice that the initiation rate is very high in the 14-19 age group and then declines precipitously. This study focuses on this age group in particular and attempts to develop a better understanding of youths' smoking-related decisions.

We advance several arguments that could explain the steady initiation rate observed in this age group over the last decade. First, it is possible that youth, despite the tobacco control actors’ information efforts, are not aware of the risks associated with smoking or think that they will not be personally affected. Second, information campaigns may not have emphasised the negative effects of greatest concern to young people. Finally, even if they are properly informed, it is likely that youth, being present-oriented, do not take future risks into account in their decisions to start smoking. Each of these factors could lead to an overestimation of the marginal net benefit of consumption that does not reflect the true risks, resulting in a high initiation rate.

In this study, we attempted to assess the negative effects associated with tobacco use that are of most concern for youth aged between 14 and 19. In addition to focusing on the health risks cited most often (i.e., lung cancer, COPD and cardiovascular disease), we also investigated the importance of less-mentioned health implications (e.g., effects on teeth, appearance, skin, weight and sexual dysfunction) and other non-health negative effects, such as cost, dependence, bad image, bad smell, etc. We used the best-worst scaling methodology to investigate the relative importance of 15 negative effects associated with tobacco use. The sample consisted of 300 young people aged between 14 and 19 years old living in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Respondents were presented a series of best-worst choice situations and also had to answer questions about past and current smoking behaviour and other individual characteristics. The collected information will allow us to conduct several subgroup analyses.

The data are currently being analysed. Preliminary results will be available in February 2010, and the final results will be available in April 2010.

Key Terms

smoking initiation, youth risk perception, best-worst scaling

Authors:

Joachim Marti (University of Neuchatel. Institute for research in economics)

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