General practitioners' perceived barriers to smoking cessation-results from four Nordic countries.

Aims: Studies indicate that doctors may be reluctant to discuss smoking with their patients. Knowledge about how this problem might be solved is limited. The aim of this study was to identify barriers for engaging in tobacco prevention in general practice.

Early gender differences in adolescent tobacco use--the experience of a Swedish cohort.

Background: In Sweden, the prevalence of tobacco use in the youth population differs by product and gender, but there are no longitudinal studies of gender differences in the uptake of smoking and use of oral snuff (OS).

Methods: A prospective cohort study ongoing in the County of Stockholm, encompassing 3,019 children recruited in 1997 in the fifth grade of compulsory school, of whom 96% were followed-up in the sixth grade.

Results: At baseline, 22% of the boys and 15% of the girls had ever smoked, respectively 8% and 3% had ever used oral moist snuff.

Between harm and dangers. Oral snuff use, cigarette smoking and problem behaviours in a survey of Swedish male adolescents.

Background: The prevalence of smokeless tobacco use (moist snuff) in Sweden is among the highest world-wide, and snuff is gaining popularity as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes.

Methods: Patterns of current tobacco use and indicators of behavioural problems were analysed in a sample of 6287 boys participating in a census survey among 9th graders in Stockholm County, Sweden.

Results: Among participants reporting current use of oral snuff (OS) the majority (71%) also smoked cigarettes.