Indicator Profile of Cigarette Smoking Among Adolescents
Why Is This Important?
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. Children and adolescents who smoke are at increased risk for developing respiratory illnesses, impaired lung growth, cancer, heart disease, and weakened immune systems and one third of those who continue to use tobacco will die from tobacco-related diseases. In addition, youth smokers are less physically fit and less likely to be committed to their education than their nonsmoking peers. Since nearly all adult smokers begin smoking during adolescence, preventing youth from starting to use tobacco products is expected to result in a substantial decrease in tobacco-related disease and death.Current Cigarette Smoking by Year, High School Students, Grades 9-12, Utah and U.S., 1991-2009
Data Notes
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is conducted with a representative sample of Utah public high school students in grades 9 to 12. Surveys were only conducted in odd numbered years.Data Sources
Utah Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, Utah Department of Health; Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion;Other Views
Definition
Percentage of students in grades 9-12 who smoked cigarettes on one or more of the past 30 days.How We Calculated the Rates
| Numerator: | Number of students in grades 9-12 who report having smoked on one or more of the past 30 days. |
| Denominator: | Number of students in grades 9-12. |
Page Content Updated On 10/29/09,
Published on 10/29/09
