REVIEWING THE NEEDS OF UNEMPLOYED YOUTH IN SMOKING INTERVENTION PROGRAMS

In Australia, the impact of unemployment on adolescent smoking behavio ur continues to present a major public health problem. Traditional pre vention programmes in both primary and secondary schools appear to be achieving a delay in the onset of smoking. However, smoking rates of y oung people who are unemployed are unacceptably higher than those of i n-school youth. This paper provides a review of the published literatu re, showing that there has been Little effort to address smoking patte rns or experiences of quitting for this target group. While the provis ion of employment opportunities or skill training for this group is im portant, these strategies will not eliminate the problem of smoking. S teps must be taken to encourage research into the development of tailo red programmes for unemployed youth who smoke, These programmes must b e carefully considered and evaluated and meet the needs of this divers e group of young people.