Survey of smoking, drinking and drug use among secondary school children

Key facts

Survey coverage:	England and Scotland
Interviews achieved:	4,752 (England), 3,538 (Scotland)
Response Rate:	62% (England), 71% (Scotland)
Type of survey:	Self-completion paper questionnaire

This is the latest in the biennial series of surveys for the Department of Health (DH) and the Scottish Office Department of Health focusing on smoking and drinking among secondary school children. The 1998 survey was extended to include questions about drug use.

The surveys provide information about the extent of smoking, drinking and drug use among secondary children and the change in this over time.

Other information collected includes: dependence on smoking, where children get their cigarettes, attitudes to drug use and health education at school.

Fieldwork for this survey was carried out in September-November 1998. A total of about 4,750 secondary school children aged 11 to 15 years in England, and about 3,500 aged 12 to 15 years in Scotland completed paper questionnaires at school, but under the supervision of Social Survey Division (SSD) interviewers. Children were also asked to complete a dairy in which they were asked to record all cigarettes smoked during the previous seven days. Saliva samples were collected from all pupils in half the sample of schools, in order to measure for traces of nicotine. Pupils put a small dental roll in their mouths for about 20 mins.

Goddard E & Higgins V 'Smoking, drinking and drug use among young teenagers in 1998' Volume 1: England', 1999 (London:TSO)
Goddard E & Higgins V 'Smoking, drinking and drug use among young teenagers in 1998' Volume 2: Scotland', 1999 (London: TSO)

These reports can be ordered online from TSO or by telephoning:
+44 870 600 5533.

SSD has also carried out a series of three annual surveys for the Health Education Authority (HEA) focusing on children's attitudes to smoking. A report was published on the findings from the second survey in 1998. This time, a booklet of key results was produced, rather than a full report, and widely distributed by the HEA to people working in the health promotion field. Many young teenage smokers already appeared to be developing dependency on cigarettes - nearly half of those who were regular smokers (smoking at least one cigarette a week) said they would find it difficult to go without smoking for a day.

During October and November 1998, SSD carried out the third survey in the series: 3,500 secondary school children in England aged 11-15 completed questionnaires covering their attitudes towards smoking and their awareness of an anti-smoking campaign directed at young people. The overall response rate (taking account of response by schools and by pupils) was 66%.

This report presents the main findings of the Teenage Smoking Attitudes survey carried out in England in 1998. The survey was the last in a series of three annual surveys carried out in England by the Social Survey Division of ONS on behalf of the Health Education Authority. The main aims of the survey were to study teenagers' attitudes and beliefs about smoking and to evaluate the Department of Health's Respect campaign. In particular, the 1998 survey focussed on cigarette dependency, giving up smoking and children's awareness of smoking related articles, promotions and advertising in the media.

For more information about SSD or the surveys we carry out contact:
SSD Project Support Branch Tel: +44 (0)20 7533 5500 or e-mail: ssdpsb@ons.gov.uk