Predictors of intentions to use tobacco among adolescent survivors of cancer

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between knowledge of tobacco-related health risks, perceptions of vulnerability to these health risks, and future intentions to use tobacco in a sample of adolescent survivors of cancer. METHODS: Written self-report questionnaires were administered to 46 survivors, 10-18 years of age (61% males, 93.5% Caucasian). RESULTS: Overall, survivors were generally knowledgeable about tobacco-related health risks, perceived themselves to be vulnerable to these health risks, and reported low future intentions to use tobacco. Regression analyses indicated that demographic factors, treatment-related variables, knowledge, and perceived vulnerability explained 28% of the variance in intentions scores, F:(6, 39) = 2.52, p <.05. Age and knowledge were significant predictors, indicating that older adolescent survivors and those with lower knowledge scores reported greater intentions to use tobacco. CONCLUSIONS: Young survivors will benefit from risk counseling interventions that educate them about their susceptibility to specific tobacco-related health risks secondary to their cancer treatment. Intensive tobacco prevention programs that target older adolescents should be developed.