Licensed Tobacco Retailers and Adolescent Smoking in South Korea

My dissertation investigates associations between geographic distribution (density and proximity) of licensed tobacco retailers (LTRs) and adolescent smoking in Seoul, South Korea. Most adult smokers initiate smoking during adolescence and adolescent smokers get tobacco primarily from LTRs. Most studies regarding this issue were conducted in North America. We need to expand the scope toward Asia because many Asian countries, in South Korea in particular, tend to have a higher population density and numerous LTRs even around schools. My study will combine conventional nursing perspectives about health behavior and an innovative technology called Geographic Information Systems to analyze geographic effects of LTRs on adolescent smoking.