Media Exposure and Tobacco, Illicit Drugs, and Alcohol Use Among Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

• NCJ Number: 232034
• Journal: Substance Abuse Volume: 31 Issue: 3 Dated: July - September 2010 Pages: 174-192
• Author(s): Marcella Nunez-Smith, M.D., MHS; Elizabeth Wolf, B.A.; Helen Mikiko Huang, M.D., M.Sc.; Peggy G. Chen, M.D.; Lana Lee, M.D.; Ezekiel J. Emanuel, M.D., Ph.D.; Cary P. Gross, M.D.
• Date Published: July 2010
• Length: 19 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper presents the results of a review of studies that examined the relationship between media exposure and tobacco, illicit drugs, and alcohol use among adolescents and children.

Abstract

The authors systematically reviewed 42 quantitative studies on the relationship between media exposure and tobacco, illicit drug, and alcohol use among children and adolescents. Overall, 83 percent of studies reported that media was associated with increased risk of smoking initiation, use of illicit drugs, and alcohol consumption. Of 30 studies examining media content, 95 percent found a statistically significant association between increased media exposure and negative outcomes. Similarly, of the 12 studies evaluating the quantity of media exposure, 67 percent reported an association with a negative outcome. Overall, all 17 of the identified longitudinal studies supported a causal association between media exposure and negative outcomes over time. The evidence was strongest for links between media exposure and tobacco use; it was moderate for illicit drug use and alcohol use. Substantial variability in methodological rigor across studies and expanding definitions of media exposure contribute to persistent gaps in the knowledge base. Tables and references (Published Abstract)