An adolescent smoking survey in Trent, and its contribution to health promotion

A SURVEY of over 45,000 teenagers found that one in five of 15 to 16-year-olds, and more girls than boys, are smoking regularly in Trent Region. Differences in smoking prevalence were recorded between areas within the region and between schools. Immediate feedback of the survey results to all schools and health education units in the region increased awareness of the extent of the problem of smoking among young people. The process of feeding back relevant information may have a bearing on future health education and research practice in individual schools. The policy implications of the outcome of the survey are discussed.