Press Releases

Data Brief: Louisiana Teen Tobacco Use

September, 2012

 

The 2011 National Youth Tobacco survey results indicate increasing consumption patterns for African American high school students. African Americans were the only racial/ethnic group to experience increases in prevalence across multiple tobacco products. Between 2009 and 2011, the percentage of African American high school students who used any tobacco product increased from 14.0% to 18.4%; whereas, combustible tobacco use (tobacco products that are ignited during usage, such as cigarettes or cigars) increased from 13.8% to 17.5%.  Cigarette use increased from 7.4% to 10.6% and cigar/cigarillo use increase from 7.1% to 11.7% (NYTS, 2011) within this population group. National tobacco consumption trends for White high school students decreased for most types of tobacco products between 2009 and 2011. The percentage of White high school students who use any tobacco product decreased from 26.7% to 25.5%, and combustible use decreased from 24.3% to 22.5%. Cigarette use among this population group decreased from 19.4% to 17.6%, however, cigar/cigarillo use increased slightly from 11.9% to 12.0%.

Compared to National levels, Louisiana consumption patterns for tobacco remain stagnant, but higher for both racial groups. Tobacco utilization in Louisiana is gathered from the Youth Tobacco Survey (YTS). YTS is a bi-annual survey conducted in public school students in middle and high school. Analysis of Louisiana YTS reveals inordinate consumption patterns for African American and White high school students with no appreciable difference between 2009 and 2011.

Between 2009 and 2011, tobacco use among African American high school students in Louisiana experienced no statistically significant change. While moderate increases exist, no discernible change is observed between years. The prevalence figures among African American high school students include the following for 2009 and 2011, respectively: 31.4% to 35.6% for any tobacco use, 31.1% to 33.4% for combustible tobacco use, 10.9% to 17.0% for cigarette use, and 26.3% to 26.7% for cigar/cigarillo use.  Marginal changes between 2009 and 2011 suggest steady consumption patterns for African American high school students in Louisiana.

Similar data points are found among White high school students in Louisiana. White high school students experience no statistically significant change in tobacco product consumption between 2009 and 2011. However, this racial group has the highest burden in Louisiana for use of any type of tobacco product, combustible tobacco, and cigarettes.  The prevalence figures for these products are as follows for 2009 and 2011, respectively: any tobacco (39.3% to38.8%), combustible tobacco (35.1% to 35.2%), and cigarettes (26.2% to 29.1%).

Modest variation in consumption behavior between racial groups exist, however, no pattern is statistically significant. Figure 1 illustrates two racial patterns worth noting: the slightly higher consumption of cigarettes in Whites, along with the moderately higher consumption of cigars/cigarillos in African Americans. While noteworthy, these differences are not statistically significant. The most important relationship in this data is the difference in prevalence between middle and high school students.

Tobacco use in Louisianan youth is concentrated among the high school population. Middle school students experience a significantly lower tobacco burden when compared to their high school counterparts (p<0.0001).  Table 1 illustrates the differences between middle and high school students during 2011. Moreover, tobacco consumption among middle school students decreased between 2009 and 2011. Meanwhile, tobacco consumption among high school students remains statically high.

Overall, Louisiana experiences a disproportionately high tobacco burden when compared to national prevalence figures. African American and White high school students in Louisiana both experience exorbitantly higher consumption patterns compared to their national counterparts. This information indicates that tobacco utilization in Louisiana is not exclusive to one particular type of tobacco product or racial group. Instead, high prevalence is concentrated among the entire high school population and spans over numerous tobacco products.

Figure 1. Tobacco Consumption Patterns for High and Middle School Students in Louisiana by Race Between 2009 and 2011

 

 

Table 1.  Comparison of Tobacco Use among Middle School and High School Students, 2011

	Any Tobacco Use	Combustible Tobacco Use	Cigarette Use	Cigar/Cigarillo Use
Middle School	15.6%	13.7%	6.20%	9.50%
High School	38.3%	35.2%	24.0%	23.4%