Socioeconomic Differences in Smoking Behaviour Among Adolescents

Abstract

This article explores the issue of socioeconomic differences in adolescents' smoking behaviour, using academic orientation as an indication of social position. The article is based on questionnaire data collected in 1995 from 2426 pupils in the ninth grade in a county in Sweden. The results indicate that students who have applied for non-theoretical programmes in upper secondary school are more likely to smoke than students who have applied for theoretical programmes. In addition to substantial and methodological interpretations, the results also raise questions with respect to anti-smoking measures among young persons as well as the allocation of resources for health education programmes in schools.