Variations in Adolescents' Smoking and Alcohol Behaviour Between Swedish Schools—an ecological analysis

Abstract

This article describes a study of local and regional variations in the smoking and alcohol behaviour of 15-16-year-old adolescents in Swedish schools. It is based partly on data collected by a questionnaire conducted among school pupils, which was then aggregated, and partly on population data for the schools' catchment areas. The analysis relates the extent of adolescents' alcohol and smoking behaviour both to factors that are linked to the situation within the school and to factors that are linked to the socio-demographic situation in the school's catchment area. The results of the ecological analysis indicate that consumption of alcohol and smoking are affected by some different factors. Consumption of alcohol is related to the predominant social structure of the school, i.e. to whether it is a ‘lue collar’ or ‘white collar’ school. Consumption of alcohol is more common in ‘blue-collar’ schools than in ‘white-collar’ schools, but there does not appear to be any similar pattern as far as smoking is concerned. However, both the consumption of alcohol and smoking are linked to factors that reflect the school climate. Smoking and consumption of alcohol are more widespread in schools suffering from a higher level of truancy and in schools with a lower level of homework. These results indicate that there is room for manoeuvre in schools, providing a means of influencing adolescents' alcohol and smoking behaviour. The article discusses the importance both of structural conditions and of school climate and lifestyles in affecting adolescents' smoking and alcohol behaviour.