Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS): Smoking Summary Report 2015

Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) 2015: Smoking Summary Report

Summary of Key Changes Since 2013

Smoking prevalence has dropped markedly over time - since 1996 among 15 year old boys and slightly later (since 2002-2004) among 15 year old girls and 13 year olds. There has been a further small decrease in smoking prevalence among 15 year old girls between 2013 and 2015.

Among 15 year olds, the mean number of cigarettes has remained similar in 2013 and 2015. However, there has been a decrease in the median number of cigarettes smoked in a week.

Use of e-cigarettes has increased markedly among all groups between 2013 and 2015.

N.B. Data on 13 year old regular smokers has been left blank as the bases were too small to allow robust analysis.

Long Term Trends

Trends in regular smoking, by age and sex (1982-2015)

SALSUS 2015: Smoking summary

SALSUS 2015: Technical details

Survey Background

The Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey ( SALSUS) is a continuation of a long established series of national surveys on smoking, drinking and drug use. These were carried out jointly in Scotland and England between 1982 and 2000, to provide a national picture of young peoples' smoking (from 1982), drinking (from 1990), and drug use (from 1998) behaviours within the context of other lifestyle, health and social factors. Since 2002, Scotland has developed its own, more tailored, survey known as SALSUS.

SALSUS measures progress towards Scottish Government targets for smoking and drug use, and is used to inform the Scottish Government priority of addressing harmful drinking among young people.

Methodology

SALSUS is a self-completion survey administered by teachers in a mixed ability class, under exam conditions. In the past, the survey has been completed on paper, but for the first time, in the 2015 wave, half of the sample completed the survey online.

A random nationally representative sample of S2 and S4 pupils in school was selected with classes as the primary sampling unit. All local authority and independent schools in Scotland were eligible for inclusion in the sample, with the exception of special schools.

Fieldwork was completed between September 2015 and January 2016. The overall response rate was 53%.

Data was weighted by local authority, age, sex, school sector (state/independent), school denomination and by urban/rural classification.

Further Information

More information on survey methodology can be found in the technical report available at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Research/by-topic/health-community-care/social-research/SALSUS

The full 2015 SALSUS smoking report is also available at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Research/by-topic/health-community-care/social-research/SALSUS

Contact Details

For further information and queries, please get in touch at salsus@gov.scot