Tobacco use among adolescents in Scotland: profile and trends

The report presents analysis of trends and associations for smoking amongst 13 and 15 year old pupils between 1990 and 2013. Smoking is at its lowest level since the survey began.

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APPENDIX A - EXPLANATORY NOTES AND BASES

A.1 NOTES TO AID INTERPRETATION

The combined SALSUS dataset provides a unique opportunity to investigate trends in tobacco use over a substantial period of time. All statistical analyses for this report were carried out using SPSS v16.0.1[41] with the SPSS Regression Models package to enable logistic regression to be utilised. Graphs were produced using R version 3.1.2[42] and RStudio version 0.98.1103,[43] using the ggplot2 package,[44] although no additional analyses were carried out in R. The majority of the work is descriptive with frequencies and crosstabs. Statistical analyses were carried out as part of the logistic regression.

Most of the report discusses questions which have been asked for at least 3 years - including in the 2013 survey. Any exceptions to this are noted. The majority of data presented is for 15 year olds only, since the small sample size of 13 year old regular smokers precludes meaningful analysis.

A core set of questions has remained constant throughout the entire run of the survey.[45] Others have only been asked in certain years or have had variations in the wording of question or in what answer options were available for the question - for example, one year a child might be asked if a statement was true or false, in another they would be asked if they agreed or disagreed with it. There also may have been issues in how missing/not applicable responses were handled from year to year.

If the changes to the wording or format of a question was thought to impact the responses significantly, the answers were split into separate variables but kept in the data-set for use. A full explanation of how each variable was handled can be found in the user guide for this data set[46] and possible sources of variation between years are noted in this report.

The sample size of the survey has varied over time. Until 1998, the sample size was between 2,000 and 3,000 interviews per wave. This increased to 3,538 and 4,774 in 2000. In 2002, to allow robust estimates at sub-Scotland level, the sample size was increased to 23,090. This was followed by sample sizes at similar levels in 2006 and 2010, with smaller samples in 2004 and 2008. There was no survey undertaken in 2012 and the 2013 wave was designed as a large rather than small wave, with a sample size of 33,685. The 2015 survey (currently in the field) is also a large wave.

The different sample sizes are taken into account in this analysis and bases noted where appropriate. The small sample sizes pre-2002 and in 2004/2008 mean only national estimates are possible - for sub-Scotland analysis and where the sample sizes are too small to obtain reliable figures, these data-points have been removed. Bases may vary from question to question due to questions not being answered by all respondents - e.g. some respondents did not say which gender they were, hence the total number of boys and girls does not equal the total number of responses. Total percentages may not always add up to 100% due to rounding.

A final note is that in 2002 and 2004, the questionnaire was answered by pupils in spring rather than autumn, meaning that pupils those years were on average 6 months older than in other years. As age is a key factor in smoking prevalence, this should be taken into account when viewing figures from those years.

A.2 BASES[47]

Table A.1 - Bases for smoking status of 13 and 15 year olds

Year 13 Year Old 15 Year Old
1900 667 660
1992 737 630
1994 691 641
1996 622 594
1998 620 1116
2000 1207 1163
2002 12094 10219
2004 3469 3335
2006 11647 11072
2008 5327 4642
2010 19046 17772
2013 17085 16083

Table A.2 - Bases for smoking of 13 and 15 year olds of each gender

Year 13 Year Old 15 Year Old
Boys Girls Boys Girls
1900 324 343 343 317
1992 386 351 295 334
1994 349 342 311 330
1996 317 305 318 276
1998 306 314 562 554
2000 625 582 593 570
2002 5948 6146 5145 5074
2004 1783 1686 1646 1689
2006 5797 5774 5599 5410
2008 2631 2683 2296 2329
2010 9610 9394 9016 8685
2013 8515 8545 8083 7970

Table A.3 - Bases for parent(s), sibling(s), boy/girlfriend and best friend daily smoking

Relation that smokes daily Classification 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2013
Parent(s) All 10446 3402 11179 4630 17708 16066
Regular 1988 627 1656 680 2274 1334
Occasional 635 212 641 273 1152 706
Non-smoker 7401 2438 8681 3649 14118 13824
Sibling(s) All 7513 2400 7827 3311 12720 11743
Regular 1432 463 1228 517 1674 976
Occasional 445 152 442 205 776 476
Non-smoker 5361 1700 6031 2579 10170 10169
Boy/girlfriend All 5187 2168 8091 6363
Regular 1076 462 1301 714
Occasional 402 174 633 350
Non-smoker 3612 1528 6082 5217
Best friend All 9779 3113 10036 4228 16060 14448
Regular 1937 612 1619 667 2205 1280
Occasional 612 251 597 218 842 519
Non-smoker 6856 2189 7640 3287 12648 12338

Table A.4 - Bases for smoking knowledge and attitudes statements

Statement Classification 1994 1996 1998 2006 2008 2010
Smoking makes your clothes smell Regular Smoker 134 172 271 1637 667 2265
Occasional Smoker 48 53 85 641 265 1137
Non-Smoker 458 369 750 8653 3577 14105
Smokers are more fun than non-smokers Regular Smoker 130 169 265 1617 669 2240
Occasional Smoker 48 52 85 629 262 1135
Non-Smoker 456 368 748 8600 3568 14021
Smoking can cause lung cancer Regular Smoker 134 172 273 1636 664 2265
Occasional Smoker 48 53 85 639 266 1143
Non-Smoker 457 369 749 8665 3582 14101
Smoking gives people confidence Regular Smoker 132 169 273 1634 669 2242
Occasional Smoker 47 53 84 635 261 1140
Non-Smoker 453 367 744 8600 3551 14013
Smoking makes people worse at sport Regular Smoker 134 171 272 1636 669 2261
Occasional Smoker 48 53 85 640 265 1149
Non-Smoker 458 369 749 8656 3575 14099
Smokers stay slimmer than non-smokers Regular Smoker 130 168 270 1620 662 2238
Occasional Smoker 46 52 85 634 261 1134
Non-Smoker 453 366 739 8558 3544 13996
If a woman smokes when she is pregnant, it can harm her unborn baby Regular Smoker 134 172 275 1641 665 2260
Occasional Smoker 48 53 85 642 266 1151
Non-Smoker 457 369 751 8670 3569 14112
Smoking helps people relax if they feel nervous Regular Smoker 132 170 275 1632 670 2260
Occasional Smoker 48 53 85 640 264 1145
Non-Smoker 452 368 744 8598 3565 14032
Smoking can cause heart disease Regular Smoker 134 171 273 1629 667 2257
Occasional Smoker 48 53 85 638 260 1141
Non-Smoker 453 369 750 8629 3559 14060
Smoking is not really dangerous, it only harms people who smoke a lot Regular Smoker 133 171 274 1634 667 2257
Occasional Smoker 48 53 85 636 263 1142
Non-Smoker 457 369 749 8638 3576 14054
Smokers get more coughs and colds than non-smokers Regular Smoker 134 169 268 1627 669 2250
Occasional Smoker 58 52 84 634 264 1143
Non-Smoker 452 366 745 8604 3560 14027
Other people's smoking can harm the health of non-smokers Regular Smoker 134 170 272 1639 668 2256
Occasional Smoker 46 50 82 613 250 1052
Non-Smoker 455 369 748 8657 3570 14072
Smoking helps people cope better with life Regular Smoker 131 167 269 1619 663 2238
Occasional Smoker 48 53 84 633 261 1136
Non-Smoker 455 367 743 8601 3559 14000

Table A.5 - Bases for parental knowledge of child's activities

Mother's Knowledge Father's Knowledge Gender 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2013
Below Median Below Median Male 1261 419 1367 524 1944 2452
Female 1161 414 1466 570 2356 2057
At Median Male 321 94 227 158 373 550
Female 167 108 294 105 363 317
Above Median Male 459 69 228 187 362 318
Female 259 165 518 106 461 388
At median Below Median Male 210 102 354 81 539 358
Female 318 90 265 112 536 543
At Median Male 87 43 127 46 211 254
Female 106 33 98 78 226 197
Above Median Male 442 73 358 215 593 703
Female 259 131 453 136 553 534
Above median Below Median Male 333 141 513 80 756 431
Female 568 119 369 162 827 668
At Median Male 103 66 195 20 298 197
Female 166 27 81 57 273 238
Above Median Male 1385 440 1499 494 2787 1574
Female 1565 381 1229 525 2077 2077

Table A.6 - Bases for club/group attendance: regular smoking in those who attended or not

Club/group Attended? 2006 2008 2010 2013
Youth group Yes 2716 1024 4110 3217
No 7611 3618 12839 12155
Drama, arts, music or singing group Yes 2042 855 3284 3056
No 8285 3787 13665 12316
Sports club, gyms, exercise or dance groups Yes 5764 2537 9669 9309
No 4563 2105 7280 6063
Computer clubs/groups Yes 297 132 469 520
No 10030 4510 16480 14852
None of these Yes 7561 3523 12738 11980
No 2766 1119 4211 3392

Table A.7 - Bases for excluded - change over time (left) and smoking status if excluded or not (right)

Graph Category 2000 2002 2004 2006 2010 2013
Left Regular 245 1805 591 1499 2054 1197
Occasional 85 613 203 619 1083 668
Non-Smoker 830 7266 2430 8405 13689 13463
Right Yes 163 1073 401 1318 1365 802
No 740 8611 2797 10070 14983 13803

Table A.8 - Bases for leisure activities: changes in proportion of respondents doing activities weekly between 2002 and 2013

Activity 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2013
See your friends 10095 3338 10549 4495 17242 15656
Listen to music 10096 3348 10536 4498 17250 15661
Look around the shops 10082 3329 10438 4479 17196 15632
Read comics or magazines 10069 3334 10428 4478 17193 15586
Read books 10045 3333 10366 4468 17163 15566
Go to watch sports matches 10057 3328 10399 4461 17161 15562
Go to the cinema 10053 3329 10390 4467 17157 15578
Hang around the street 10061 3334 10389 4465 17130 15537
Do a hobby, art or play a musical instrument 10045 3324 10365 4450 17119 15524
Go to a friend's house 10065 3332 10464 4465 17167 15575
Go to concerts or gigs 10047 3324 10366 4459 17126 15548
Go to the church, mosque or temple 10033 3319 10368 4459 17121 15503
Do nothing 10014 3298 10137 4355 16692 15065
Watch films or DVDs 10484 4496 17216 15628
Play computer games 10448 4470 17205 15565
Do a sport e.g. football etc 3329 10432 4466 17174 15580
Help other people, do voluntary work 10359 4446 17078 15481
Go online and use social networking sites (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) 15670
Go to a public library 15540
Go to a museum or gallery 15534
Go to theatres or concert halls 15514

Table A.9 - Bases for smoking frequency in 15 year olds by local authority

Local Authority 2002 2006 2008 2010 2013
Aberdeen City 413 633 140 493 399
Aberdeenshire 410 529 114 1293 681
Angus 363 179 116 286 415
Argyll and Bute 108 399 126 270 260
Clackmannanshire 174 22 115 508
Dumfries and Galloway 356 282 128 509 359
Dundee City 362 259 94 456 427
East Ayrshire 303 302 24 333 540
East Dunbartonshire 329 128 30 857 533
East Lothian 208 502 285 277 324
East Renfrewshire 342 385 56 416 797
Edinburgh City 538 531 235 1299 811
Eilean Saar 97 49 294 149
Falkirk 200 388 136 331 601
Fife 813 324 377 1081 804
Glasgow City 675 534 470 1024 1662
Highland 453 650 253 743 656
Inverclyde 219 490 103 287 175
Midlothian 271 228 45 542 318
Moray 302 244 69 293 395
North Ayrshire 212 269 160 412 443
North Lanarkshire 688 433 254 1160 791
Orkney 170 70 13 197 164
Perth and Kinross 305 485 134 359 297
Renfrewshire 266 206 652 79
Scottish Borders 345 281 89 338 672
Shetland 222 173 16 149 222
South Ayrshire 226 357 110 445 270
South Lanarkshire 511 568 347 1259 1087
Stirling 248 85 112 250 406
West Dunbartonshire 233 312 83 832 378
West Lothian 220 689 246 519 460
Scotland 10219 11072 4642 17772 16083

Table A.10 - Bases for smoking frequency in 15 year olds by health board

Local Authority 2002 2006 2008 2010 2013
Ayrshire and Arran 741 928 294 1190 1253
Dumfries and Galloway 356 282 128 509 359
Fife 813 324 377 1081 804
Forth Valley 622 473 270 696 1515
Grampian 1125 1406 323 2079 1475
Greater Glasgow and Clyde 1798 2115 948 4068 3624
Highland 561 1049 379 1013 916
Lanarkshire 1199 1001 601 2419 1878
Lothian 1237 1950 811 2637 1913
Orkney 170 70 13 197 164
Scottish Borders 345 281 89 338 672
Shetland 222 173 16 149 222
Tayside 1030 923 344 1101 1139
Eilean Siar 97 49 294 149 589
Scotland 10219 11072 4642 17772 16083

Table A.11 - Bases for Individual SDQ scores: regular smoker status in each banded score

SDQ Area Banded Score 2006 2008 2010 2013
Emotional Normal 8258 3595 13505 11033
Borderline 674 330 1279 1354
Abnormal 985 487 1876 2755
Conduct Normal 6976 3217 12660 11829
Borderline 1179 489 163 1425
Abnormal 1773 708 2346 1910
Hyperactivity/ inattention Normal 6459 2800 11108 10168
Borderline 1310 589 2082 1981
Abnormal 2129 1016 3459 2981
Peer Problems Normal 8546 3896 14263 12097
Borderline 1044 388 1795 2271
Abnormal 321 124 601 779
Pro-social Normal 6723 3100 11741 10942
Borderline 1560 640 2429 2076
Abnormal 1687 684 2520 2171

Table A.12 - Bases for regular smoking status range by SDQ score and gender

Gender Banded Score 2006 2008 2010 2013
Male Normal 3782 1654 6402 5651
Borderline 665 274 1069 998
Abnormal 415 210 763 827
Female Normal 3462 1598 5895 4687
Borderline 638 283 1003 1234
Abnormal 583 243 1009 1413

Table A.13 - Bases for all deprivation graphs

Measure of Deprivation Group Smoking Category 2006 2008 2010 2013
SIMD Child 1 - most deprived 1002 813 2390 2596
2 1431 865 3817 2867
3 1727 975 3770 3207
4 1803 964 3727 3889
5 1745 1025 4023 3524
Parent(s) 1 - most deprived 1019 822 2418 2640
2 1454 867 3856 2901
3 1757 983 3802 3249
4 1829 970 3753 3942
5 - least deprived 1764 1029 4062 3556
Free school meals Child Yes 868 414 1713 1683
No 9404 3962 14106 12598
Parent(s) Yes 886 415 1728 1706
No 9550 3978 14226 12734
How well off would you say your family is? Child Very well off 1112 544 1499 1910
Quite well off 4662 1904 6746 6175
Average 4399 1863 7814 6721
Not well off 439 192 831 707
Not well off at all 99 39 202 165
Parent(s) Very well off 1140 545 1514 1930
Quite well off 4722 1911 6806 6238
Average 4472 1874 7881 6813
Not well off 447 192 837 710
Not well off at all 103 40 206 168

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Email: Fiona MacDonald

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