| Summary: | Background: Cigarette smoking and alcohol use influence morbidity and premature death all over the world. Studies have shown that most life-time smokers and adult heavy drinkers began their use during their adolescent years and between 80-90% of them before the age of 18. Thus, early onset of smoking and alcohol use increases the risk of later dependence. Alcohol use and cigarette smoking among adolescents are also strongly correlated behaviors. Adolescents who initiate smoking are much more likely to begin using alcohol at an early age than those who do not, and vice verse. Furthermore, both cigarette smoking and alcohol use among adolescents are known to be gateways to the use of other substances, adding further to the negative consequences of smoking and alcohol use. Hence, early identification of key determinants for adolescent cigarette smoking and alcohol use may serve to decrease the likelihood of later substance use development and related health problems and delinquent behaviors. Aims and objectives: The aim of this project is to investigate several important factors in the social environment of Icelandic adolescents that contribute to the likelihood of cigarette smoking and alcohol use initiation and progression. Senior public health scholars have highlighted the need for an increase in inter-disciplinary approaches for public health research and practice. Consequently, the coverage builds on a literature from both the social- and public health sciences. Material and method: The data for studies I-III is based on the population-based cross-sectional survey, Youth in Iceland in 2006. The study was designed to monitor adolescent health risk behaviors and social circumstances among others. The study base includes all noninstitutionalized children who were enrolled in the obligatory 9th and 10th grades, ages 14 to 15 years, in all secondary schools in Iceland during March 2006. A total of 7,430 students in 9th and 10th grade (49% males) completed the questionnaire in 2006, yielding a response rate of 81% ...
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