Smoking and its Impact on Health
Smoking predisposes one to various health problems including cancer of the lung, addiction, and adoption of harmful behaviors. Amongst adult smokers, smoking patterns have shown no significant reduction and a possible rise in smoking in the young individuals and the preteens has been reported (Lando, 590). Studies done illustrate that the urge to begin smoking at a young age is due to pressures from different origins namely; parents, saturation from media, and influence from fellow peers. Some approaches can help control the behavior, for example, creating awareness among the children of the pressures that induce them to smoke. Also, teaching them how to deal with the situations could reduce the practice.
Findings on Early Smoking Initiation
A research that was carried out showed the following findings. First was, individual who begin smoking at a young age are less likely to stop, and the practice goes on even in their later periods (Lando, 596). Regarding the social environment, those that smoke at early years was found to appear in areas with high frequency of smokers notwithstanding the level of education that one has. An individual who begins smoking when young has been linked to individual risk elements. The factors include; victims not using the seat belts, poor health diet. Other research found that smokers frequently undertake unfit practices like deficient diets inactive behaviors when compared to the individuals who have never smoked or those that quit smoking.
Health Risks Associated with Smoking
Other findings on the present smokers are the likelihood of absconding work because of issues with health (Lando, 597). Furthermore, the smokers showed the possibility of having been admitted to the hospital during night hours. From the present findings, it is necessary to implement regulations concerning the sale of tobacco products to the underage that will help minimize its access. This is because of the severe health problems and associated risk factors in later stages which arise due to smoking started at in adolescence and childhood.
Preventing Smoking Among Children
An approach to psychology and sociology is being executed to impede smoking among children, and the strategy consisted of studies. A research was done with the purpose of obstructing smoking in children. It involved the provision of videotapes to students which demonstrated the ways in media, parents, and peers could pressurize children to start smoking (Evans, 123). After providing the videotapes, there were talks on how to manage the situations and pressures. The questions that were presented to the students after viewing the videos were in a manner that inspired them to withstand the influences to smoke. Moreover, the interrogations offered the students the chance to decide if to smoke when predisposed to the pressures. The study found that the responses to the asked questions were appropriate in generating appropriate practices.
Apart from the questionnaires provided, the students were asked oral questions that related to ways of dealing with pressures to smoke. The received responses were assessed, and method was intended to increase the possibility that the replies were vital to the students (Evans, 124). Also, posters that contained information relating to the earlier videotapes were displayed to act as a reminder of the information learnt. The frequent assessment in the study was meant to monitor the practices which would eventually lead to changes.
Assessing Smoking Behavior and Attitudes
Dependent variants were also assessed in the study aiming to control the behavior. They included; maintaining of smoking information which was covered in the pre-test that showed standard knowledge of the subjects and the post-test that signified the understanding by the students after watching the videotapes (Evans, 125). The attitude on smoking was also studied and it included concepts that were picked by the respondents according to their appeal. Another variable was on the intention to stop smoking which was presented to subjects who smoke and those who do not and their aim to either halt or begin the behavior respectively. Moreover, there were questions that tested on the acceptance of the betterment of health when one stopped smoking. The smoking behavior, on the other hand, checked the number of times and the situations that one had been involved. Finally, the investigation of the presence or absence of nicotine in the subjects' saliva was done. The report on the study was found to be effective in deterring children from smoking, and it could be implemented anywhere else having the same objective.
The Need to Prevent Smoking in Children
From the two articles about smoking in children, it is evident that starting the when children begin to exercise the behavior at an early age; it could cost them their lifetime. This is because of the likelihood of getting addicted. Once an individual is addicted, it is hard to quit, and the repercussions to the behavior are unpleasant. First, it would be prudent to note if the development of health issues and engaging in unfit behaviors impacts on one's health (Lando, 596). The presented findings indicate the difficulty in dealing with an adult that started smoking at a young age which calls for the attention to prevent smoking among the children. Strategies similar to the one discussed in the article are needed to curb the behavior to avoid the harmful outcomes. The children should be not only be made aware of the possible pressures but also the ways and ability to tackle the situations (Evans, 125). They should also be monitored frequently for any sign of smoking to avoid the risks and impacts that result from the behavior.
In conclusion, smoking is a severe risk factor for diseases and measures to prevent the practice in children should be considered useful. Efforts to control the exercise of individuals that are already dependent on smoking could be less productive. Therefore, the best method to handle the circumstance could be in children since it the basis of the whole situation. Educations and close assessment of the subjects should be employed.
Work Cited
Evans, Richard I. "Smoking in children: Developing a social psychological strategy of deterrence." Preventive Medicine 5.1 (1976): 122-127.
Lando, Harry A., et al. "Age of initiation, smoking patterns, and risk in a population of working adults." Preventive medicine29.6 (1999): 590-598.
