Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109657

Elizabeth A. Conlisk, PhD, School of Natural Science, Hampshire College, 893 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002, 413-559-5519, econlisk@hampshire.edu, Scott K. Proescholdbell, MPH, NC Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch, Chronic Disease and Injury Control Section, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health, 1932 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1932, and William K. Pan, DrPH, MS, MPH, Department of International Health, The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe Street, Rm W5508, Baltimore, MD 21224.

Objectives: To examine knowledge of the harmfulness of secondhand smoke (SHS) and support for tobacco control policies to reduce SHS among middle and high school students in North Carolina. Methods: The statewide Youth Tobacco Survey was administered to 3,073 middle school and 3,261 high school students in North Carolina in the fall of 2003. Support for tobacco control policies was analyzed by smoking status and by knowledge of the harmfulness of SHS. Results: The vast majority of respondents in the middle school (87.6%) and high school (91.6%) reported that SHS was ‘definitely' or ‘probably' harmful. However, less than half of middle school (48.6%) and high school (40.2%) students responded that smoking should be banned in restaurants. Even among the select group of students who had never smoked and who believed SHS was harmful, support for such a ban was less than 60% at both school levels. Similarly, only 61.4% (middle school) and 54.2% (high school) of students in this select group stated that they preferred to eat in smoke-free restaurant. Conclusion: Youth in North Carolina are aware of the health risks of SHS, but are not convinced of the need to restrict smoking in restaurants. Further research needs to move beyond knowledge and examine the impact of social norms on youth support for such policies.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe knowledge of secondhand smoke and support for restaurant smoking bans among youth in North Carolina

Keywords: Tobacco Policy, Youth

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.