BIOBEHAVIORAL ASPECTS OF ADOLESCENT NICOTINE DEPENDENCE

青少年吸烟率继续攀升，1997年的估计为1979年以来的最高水平。青少年吸烟与成年后的尼古丁依赖之间的关系已经得到了很好的证实。虽然吸烟对成年人的生物影响已经被研究，但在青少年中的生物行为方面还没有被研究。此外，已报告的青少年吸烟方面的性别差异涉及社会行为因素，但对生物学数据的重视程度有限，而生物学数据对于了解青少年对尼古丁的依赖至关重要。确定青少年尼古丁依赖的生物标记物对青少年吸烟者的健康至关重要。这项单因素析因设计研究的第一个目的是表征青少年吸烟者吸烟成分暴露和吸烟地形参数的生物标志物。吸烟成分暴露包括一氧化碳和血浆尼古丁增加吸烟后和基线可替宁水平。吸烟地形参数包括吸烟量和持续时间、间隔时间以及吸入和呼气持续时间。在第二个目标中，将比较青少年男性和女性吸烟者的吸烟地形参数、吸烟成分暴露和尼古丁依赖程度。第三个目标将比较青春期前和青春期后期的吸烟成分暴露、吸烟地形参数和尼古丁依赖程度。最终目标是将吸烟成分暴露的生物标记物与公认的尼古丁依赖行为指标进行对比。确定青少年男孩和女孩吸烟的生物学和行为特征将为解决这一重要研究领域的差距提供基础。这项拟议的研究是一项研究计划的第一阶段，该计划包括分析来自多个种族群体的青少年吸烟行为的差异，以及增加按性别和年龄组设计量身定制的吸烟预防和戒烟干预措施的科学基础。

Adolescent smoking prevalence has continued to climb with 1997 estimates being the highest reported since 1979. The relationship between adolescent smoking and subsequent nicotine dependence in adulthood has been well established. While biological effects of smoking have been studied in adults, the biobehavioral aspects have not been examined in adolescents. In addition gender differences in smoking that have been reported for adolescents address sociobehavioral factors with limited emphasis on biological data which is essential for understanding adolescent nicotine dependence. The need to identify biomarkers of adolescent nicotine dependence is essential to the health of adolescent smokers. The first aim of this one-factor factorial design study is to characterize the biomarkers of smoke constituent exposure and smoking topography parameters in adolescent smokers. Smoke constituent exposure includes carbon monoxide and plasma nicotine increases post-cigarette and baseline cotinine levels. Smoking topography parameters include puff volume and duration, interpuff interval, and inhalation and exhalation duration. In the second aim smoking topography parameters, smoke constituent exposure, and level of nicotine dependence will be compared between adolescent male and female smokers. The third aim will compare smoke constituent exposure, smoking topography parameters and level of nicotine dependence of prepubescent and later teens. The final aim will contrast biological markers of smoke constituent exposure with accepted behavioral measures of nicotine dependence. Characterizing biological and behavioral aspects of smoking in adolescent boys and girls will provide a foundation to address the gap in this important research area. The proposed study represents the first phase of a program of research that includes analyzing differences in smoking behavior of adolescents from multiple ethnic groups, as well as increasing the scientific basis from which to design tailored smoking prevention and cessation interventions by gender and age group.