Attitudes and perceptions towards tobacco among young people within the Nordic, Schengen Area and EU-countries : A scoping review

Abstract: In the research of young people in relation to their tobacco use and corresponding attitudes towards that use, there are various ways that these attitudes are measured and described. There remains however a lack of clarity or consistency regarding the way that these are attitudes are measured and what they are orientated towards. An established framework of methodology was used to guide the review. Studies were included based on age (11-21); published year (after 2000); language (English only). Included studies had the young people’s attitudes towards tobacco use in its various forms as central theme. Three bibliography databases were utilized. Studies (2710) were identified, 598 screened and 33 included. The majority were performed in the EU/Schengen Area outside of the Nordic countries. The majority were quantitatively oriented, and most had a Health perspective in their description of attitudes. Findings suggest that there are four different themes in how attitudes were described, and that there are differences between the Nordic countries and the rest of the EU/Schengen Area, but also many similarities, as well as a need to investigate specific aspects of tobacco use in Nordic countries (social acceptance being chief among them).