Abstract
Few studies have evaluated cigarette use specifically in dancers, but those that exist suggest that there is a high prevalence of smoking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cigarette smoking behaviors and attitudes in dancers of different ages and levels of training. Between June 2011 and September 2012 questionnaires were distributed to dancers at three different sites: a performing arts high school, a college-level conservatory, and a professional ballet company. One hundred and thirty-eight dancers (114 females and 24 males) between 12 to 31 years of age were surveyed. At the time of data collection, 8.7% of these dancers were current smokers and 9.4% were former smokers. The percentage of male dancers who smoked was almost 5 times that of female dancers who smoked. Over 40% of smokers expressed a desire to quit. Close to 80% of dancers had had teachers or choreographers who smoked. Over half of participants overestimated
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