Giora Rahav

Smoking trends among adolescents from 1990 to 2002 in ten European countries and Canada

BackgroundDaily smoking adolescents are a public health problem as they are more likely to become adult smokers and to develop smoking-related health problems later on in their lives.MethodsThe study is part of the four-yearly, cross-national Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study, a school-based survey on a nationally representative sample using a standardised methodology. Data of 4 survey periods are available (1990–2002). Gender-specific daily smoking trends among 14–15 year olds are examined using logistic regressions. Sex ratios are calculated for each survey period and country. Interaction effects between period and gender are examined.ResultsDaily smoking prevalence in boys in 2002 ranges from 5.5% in Sweden to 20.0% in Latvia. Among girls, the daily smoking prevalence in 2002 ranges from 8.9% in Poland to 24.7% in Austria. Three daily smoking trend groups are identified: countries with a declining or stagnating trend, countries with an increasing trend followed by a decreasing trend, and countries with an increasing trend. These trend groups show a geographical pattern, but are not linked to smoking prevalence. Over the 4 surveys, the sex ratio has changed in Belgium, Switzerland, and Latvia.ConclusionAmong adolescents in Europe, three groups of countries in a different stage of the smoking epidemic curve can be identified, with girls being in an earlier stage than boys. In 2002, large differences in smoking prevalence between the countries have been observed. This predicts a high mortality due to smoking over 20–30 years for some countries, if no policy interventions are taken.

Personality, Cognitive, and Interpersonal Factors in Adolescent Substance Use: A Longitudinal Test of an Integrative Model.

This study tests a multidimensional model of adolescent drug use. The model incorporates sociodemographic variables, personality variables (state and trait anxiety, depressive mood, and sensation seeking), cognitive variables (knowledge, attitudes, and intentions), interpersonal factors (relationships with peers and parents), and the availability of drugs. The model was tested in a longitudinal study, comprising two phases. A total of 1446 high school students served as subjects. The role of cognitive (attitudinal) and interpersonal factors (relationships with parents and peers) was confirmed. In addition, sensation seeking proved to have significant predictive power. Anxiety, depression, and sociodemographic factors, by contrast, had virtually no influence. Availability had a minor effect. The multidimensional explanation was validated longitudinally. The factors related to drug use at the first phase predicted use at the second. This multidimensional explanation accounted for the use of various substances, suggesting that different substances—whether legal or illegal—share a common multidimensional explanation.

The drinking of earlier and more recent Russian immigrants to Israel: comparison to other Israelis.

OBJECTIVES Russia has a high level of per capita alcohol consumption, while the level in Israel is low. Since 1989, over 820,000 Russian Jews immigrated to Israel. In the 1970s and early 1980s, a smaller wave of immigration from Russia to Israel occurred (approximately 170,000). The drinking of earlier immigrants was compared to recent immigrants and other Israelis. METHODS Data came from a 1995 national survey of Israeli household residents. Of 4984 Israeli respondents, 292 were Russian immigrants who arrived since 1989 and 131 were Russians who immigrated earlier. Groups were compared with logistic regression. RESULTS Recent Russian immigrants were more likely to drink in the last 12 months, to drink frequently and to get drunk than other Israelis. The earlier Russian immigrants were not more likely than other Israelis to report drinking in the last 12 months or frequent drinking, but were more likely to report 30-day drinking and getting drunk. In direct comparison of recent and earlier Russians, recent immigrants reported more frequent drinking than earlier immigrants. CONCLUSIONS The results for drinking and frequency of drinking are consistent with acculturation effects as well as other explanations. Further investigation in studies with appropriate designs will be necessary to clarify the meaning of these results.

Socio-economic status and binge drinking in Israel

Modern Israeli society is comprised primarily of two nationality groups-Jews and Arabs, with disparate religious and cultural attitudes toward alcohol drinking. We recently described higher rates of past-month drinking among Jewish adults, although Arabs who drink were more likely to report binge drinking. The goal of the present study is to examine the relationship between binge drinking and socio-economic status (SES) among Arab and Jewish adults in Israel. Data from a 1995 nationally representative household survey on drug and alcohol use were analyzed. Participants included male and female Arabs (n=982) and Jews (n=4,972) aged 18-40 living in Israel. SES was assessed using education, household income, and occupation. The prevalence of binge drinking was highest among Arab men (21.4%) followed by Jewish men (15.2%), Arab women (7.3%), and Jewish women (4.0%). Prevalence rates and odds ratios (ORs) from logistic models controlling for age, gender, marital status and religiosity show that increased household income and occupation are associated with increased binge drinking among Arabs (OR>2.0) and decreased binge drinking among Jews (OR congruent with 0.6). Higher educational achievement was protective against binge drinking in both nationality groups. Varied results for income and occupation, and education indicate the need to examine the association between each SES indicator and alcohol consumption independently, especially in culturally diverse populations.

Testing Gateway Theory: do cigarette prices affect illicit drug use?

We test the causal Gateway Theory of drug use dynamics by way of a natural experiment. We randomize cigarette smoking by birth cohort and cigarette prices. We use data for Israel to show that while cigarette smoking causes cannabis use, the evidence that cannabis use causes hard drug use is much weaker. These results are based on various econometric methodologies including two-stage logit (2SL), bivariate probit, and frailty analysis for survival data.

ADOLESCENT STRESS RESPONSES TO A SINGLE ACUTE STRESS AND TO CONTINUOUS EXTERNAL STRESS: TERRORIST ATTACKS

The present study relates to adolescent response to a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv. We studied two groups of Israeli Jewish adolescents who evidenced similar proportions of both emotional and geographical proximity to the event: (a) local Tel Aviv youth, for whom the attack constituted a single, isolated, acute stress, and (b) youth from a border settlement, for whom this attack constituted one in a continuous series of exposures to terrorist incidents (shootings, air-raid attacks). A significant difference emerged between the two groups regarding their increase in fears from the past to the present. As expected, following the terrorist attack, the acute stress group reported a higher increase in fears than the continuous stress group. As for proximity to the event, adolescents who personally knew a victim or were physically close to the terrorist attack (whether they belonged to the acute or the continuous group) reported more fears and symptoms than those who did not know a victim personally or were physically distant. Proximity did not affect the continuous stress group, whereas it did affect the acute stress group. As expected, significant differences emerged between the groups in trait anxiety, symptoms, and increases in fear. Participants with higher trait anxiety reported a higher level of state anxiety, more symptoms, and a higher increase in fears. Contrary to expectations, analyses revealed no significant gender differences. The outcomes support previous research suggesting that prolonged exposure results in habituation.

Children's Reactions to a War Situation as a Function of Age and Sex

The goal of the study was to assess childrens reactions to the stress induced by the 1991 Gulf War as a function of gender and age. It was conducted during the third week of the 1991 Gulf War in Israel. The participants were 229 boys and 189 girls who attended the 2nd, 6th, and 10th grades. They were asked to report behavior problems (for before and during the war), anxiety level (before and during the war), and war-related symptomatic behavior. The findings indicate that the war had an adverse effect on the well being of children, in particular girls. Girls in comparison to boys reported higher levels of anxiety and more behavior problems for the war period as well as more war related symptoms. Gender differences were mostly found for the data relating to the war period and not for the pre-war period. Age moderated the effect of gender on war related symptoms and on anxiety. Whereas among the younger children (2nd grade) no gender effects were found, among the older ones (6th and 10th grades) the gender effects were apparent. In sum (a) the Gulf war had an adverse effect on the well being of children, in particular on the well being of girls. (b) The gender effects appeared only among the older children.

Changes in the Self-Concepts of Divorced Women

Abstract This study, conducted on a heterogeneous sample of 70 divorced custodial mothers in Israel, explores changes in the self-concept of divorced women. Findings showed that most of the study participants saw themselves as having changed, and improved, in the surveyed aspects of self-concept. Comparing their present situation to that before their divorce, most reported that they became more independent, more in control of their lives, and more responsible for themselves. They reported feeling greater self-esteem, more competent, and more likely to regard the tasks facing them as challenges. Moreover, they perceived these changes as very important and satisfying. On the other hand, a quarter of the divorced women saw themselves either as unchanged or as having changed in an undesirable way. The findings support the view that self-concept can change in adulthood, as well as the claim that divorce brings not only loss but also opportunity for self-development. Further study using a prospective, longitudinal design is recommended.

Adolescent gambling: Temperament, sense of coherence and exposure to advertising

This study examines the relationships between gambling behaviour and temperament, sense of coherence (SOC) and exposure to advertising among adolescents, and the interactions between these three independent variables in relation to problem gambling (PG). One thousand and sixty-nine Israeli adolescents (males = 539, females = 530), aged 16–19, were sampled from 19 high schools. The following instruments were used: a gambling behaviour scale; a PG scale; an advertising exposure scale; Buss and Plomins emotionality, activity and sociability (EAS) questionnaire measuring temperament; and a short version of Antonovskys SOC scale. The findings indicated a relationship between recall of exposure to advertising and gambling behaviour and PG among adolescents. No correlations were found between SOC and gambling behaviour and PG, and no correlation was found between temperament and gambling behaviour. However, the effect of temperament on PG was significant for girls only. In addition, no interaction was found between the three independent variables relating to PG. The findings of this study underline the social role of advertisements in the process of developing gambling behaviour among adolescents and its effect on problem gambling.

Israel 2000: Immigration and Gender Differences in Alcohol Consumption

The present study addresses the association between immigration from the former Soviet Union (FSU) and gender and alcohol consumption among a representative sample of young adults in Israel 2000. Previous studies that were conducted on FSU immigrants to Israel indicate higher consumption than that of resident Israelis and immigrants of earlier periods. The current study aims to assess alcohol consumption among FSU and resident Israelis five years later to determine whether the discrepancy in alcohol consumption stays consistent or reduces. In addition, gender differences in alcohol consumption among the Israeli society were examined as well, as a special case of socio-culture differences. The data came from the 2000 national survey of drinking in Israel. Of 5,004 Jewish Israelis, 532 were immigrants from the FSU who arrived since 1989, and 4,472 were resident Israelis. The FSU group was compared with resident Israelis, and males were compared to females on several drinking variables. Logistic regression was the principal method of analysis. Demographics and cultural variables as main effects or in interaction with FSU and gender were controlled. The FSU group was significantly more likely to report drinking in the last twelve months plus drinking in the last thirty days than resident Israelis. Womens reported drinking in the last twelve months was one fourth of mens and during the past thirty days was one fifth of mens. Further investigation on the associations between the success of FSU acculturation in the Israeli society and drinking patterns as well as attitudes toward women and gender differences in alcohol consumption may provide explanations for gender and immigration gaps in alcohol consumption.