Example Post: Social Factors in Teen Smoking

Society—or a group of people bound by common ways of life and a common land (Henslin 2012)—is made up of individuals. These individuals choose to behave in ways that are guided by their personal experiences, their own chemical make up—and the characteristics of the society they live in. Sociologists try to predict the behaviors of these individuals, based on what others like them do. Others with the same religion, who are the same age, gender or race, or who are exposed to the same television programs. Medical sociologists focus on behaviors and social conditions that are related to health (Cockerham 2012). Behaviors a medical sociologist would research can include getting a disease, going to the doctor, coping mentally with an illness, and health behaviors.    Health behaviors are also called “lifestyle factors”, and are increasingly important in America and other industrialized nations. This is because we have undergone the epidemiological transition (Omran 1971) where we have more or less tackled infectious disease and now die from things like cancer, heart disease and stroke. All of these diseases have lifestyle factors in their etiology. For example, cigarette smoking has been found to be linked to all of those degenerative diseases.  

Why do people smoke cigarettes?  More specifically, why does the age group 14-18 smoke? Figuring out why humans act the way they do is challenging, and a variety of biological, genetic, psychological and cultural factors come into play. Medical sociologists focus on the social factors. These factors are parts of social life, such as friends, family, religion, education, age group, race, gender or region.  In explaining teen smoking, a sociologist would zero in on the social factors that might explain this behavior. Then, a public health official or social epidemiologist might use this information to try to curb teen smoking (other groups do not want to stop teens from smoking, but that’s another discussion..).

I watched a news special interviewing teens on their smoking habit. It presents evidence that  social factors such as the media, peers, and family influence teen smoking.  The teens report that they grew up seeing others smoke, whether it was family members or older (cooler) friends. Some mention peer pressure, and the news report claims 38% of teens smokers do so because they see actors doing it. 

 
Is there a public health solution? I thought about celebrities speaking out against smoking.. spreading the message that it’s uncool…however when I looked up “celebrity no smoking” and “celebrities against smoking” I found very little. In fact, super model Kate Moss lit up a cig on No-Smoking Day, Elija Wood spoke out against no-smoking laws, and mean while a young David Cassidy seems to be the only American celebrity that joined the cause.

What are other social factors related to smoking?  Did you ever smoke, and if so was there a social reason?  And, on another note, what are the social consequences (or benefits) to having a population of teen smokers?

References:
1. Cockerham, William C. 2012. Medical Sociology, 12th Ed. Boston: Prentice Hall.
2. Henslin, James M. 2012. Sociology: A Down to Earth Approach, 11th Ed. Boston: Pearson.
3. Omran, Abdel R. 1971. "The Epidemiologic Transition: A Theory of the Epidemiology of Population Change" Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly, 49(4): 509-38.