Adolescent Trauma and Smoking Behaviors

Michael Burrows, Duke University
Cecep Sumantri, SurveyMETER

Exposure to traumatic events may result in the adoption of risky behaviors, if such behaviors constitute a coping strategy or if exposure to trauma changes individuals’ preferences regarding risks. In this paper we will use data from before and after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to examine how smoking behaviors are affected by exposure to an unanticipated and traumatic natural disaster. We draw on data from a unique longitudinal panel survey implemented in the Aceh and North Sumatra provinces of Indonesia before and after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.