Journal Information
Vol. 17. Issue 1.
Pages 27-31 (January - February 2011)
Vol. 17. Issue 1.
Pages 27-31 (January - February 2011)
Open Access
Representações sociais do comportamento de fumar em adolescentes de 13 anos
Social representations of smoking behaviour in 13-year-old adolescents
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S. Fragaa,b,
Corresponding author
silfraga@med.up.pt

Autor para correspondência.
, S. Sousaa,b, E. Ramosa,b, I. Diasc, H. Barrosa,b
a Departamento de Higiene e Epidemiologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
b Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
c Departamento de Sociologia, Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Resumo
Objectivo

O objectivo deste estudo foi identificar em adolescentes, através de uma abordagem qualitativa, as representações sociais sobre o comportamento de fumar.

Métodos

Foram realizadas trinta entrevistas semi-estruturadas por entrevistadores treinados, gravadas com a permissão dos participantes após explicação detalhada do processo de entrevista. Depois da transcrição do conteúdo de cada entrevista, a informação foi sintetizada em cada questão principal e foi realizada uma análise de conteúdo conceptual. A análise foi realizada por dois dos autores, e os conflitos foram resolvidos por uma terceira pessoa.

Resultados

Os adolescentes sugeriram diferentes explicações para o comportamento de fumar das pessoas em geral e dos adolescentes. Enquanto que fumar para os primeiros estava mais relacionado com a dependência, na adolescência pretendia melhorar o estatuto entre os colegas e ser uma forma de manter as relações sociais. Os adolescentes estavam conscientes das implicações graves do tabagismo para a saúde, mas eles só referiram efeitos a longo prazo, sem percepcionarem consequências durante a adolescência. Verificámos também que tinham dificuldades em indicar potenciais medidas preventivas orientadas para os adolescentes.

Conclusão

Este estudo aponta para a importância dos pares como agentes de socialização do consumo do tabaco, e mostra a importância de campanhas anti-tabagismo neste grupo etário com ênfase nas consequências do tabagismo na adolescência.

Palavras-chave:
Representações sociais
Adolescentes
Comportamento de fumar
Abstract
Objective

The purpose of this study was to identify adolescents’ social representations on smoking using a qualitative approach.

Methods

Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted by trained interviewers. The interviews were recorded with participant's permission after our comprehensive explanation of the interview process. After transcript the content of each interview, information was synthesised under each of main question, and a conceptual content analysis was undertaken. The analysis was performed by two of the authors, and the conflicts were resolved by a third person.

Results

Adolescents suggested different explanations for general people and adolescent smoking behaviour. While in general people smoking behaviour was mostly related to dependence, in adolescence it is referred to be associated with status improving among peers and to keep up social relations. We realised that adolescents are aware of the serious health implications of smoking, but they only referred it as a long-term effect in adulthood and no consequences during adolescence were for seen. We also noted the difficulties in giving preventive measures targeted on adolescents.

Conclusion

This study points out the importance of peers as agents of socialization in tobacco consumption, and shows the importance of anti-smoking campaigns among this age group with emphasis on smoking consequences in adolescence.

Keywords:
Social representations
Adolescents
Smoking behaviour
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