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

Abstract #111385

Shelly Campo, PhD, Community and Behavioral Health, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive, E237 GH, Iowa City, IA 52244, 319-384-5393, shelly-campo@uiowa.edu, Deanna Caputo, PhD, Judgment and Decision-Making Consultant, 318 E. Seneca St. #5, Ithaca, NY 14850, John B. Lowe, MPH, DrPH, FAHPA, Department of Community and Behavioral Health, The University of Iowa, E225A General Hospital, Iowa City, IA 52242, and Janis Talbot, MS, Gannett : Cornell University Health Services, Cornell University, 306 Gannett Health Center, 10 Central Avenue, Ithaca, NY 14853.

Despite tremendous efforts placed on tobacco prevention and cessation efforts, smoking rates are on the rise among college students. Recent research suggests occasional smoking is not risk free and that occasional smokers can actually be addicted. Occasional smoking is a transition stage, either towards quitting or uptake, and represents an opportunity for education. Survey data were collected from a random sample of students at a northeastern university in 2002 (N=937) regarding their perceptions of occasional versus regular smoking. While all groups believed the dangers of smoking were considerable and felt regular smokers were susceptible to these dangers, there was more disagreement among perceptions of occasional smoking. While there was general agreement among all groups that occasional smoking is bad for your health in the long term, there was less agreement that occasional smokers are susceptible to immediate negative consequences, a general belief that occasional smoking doesn't constitute “real” smoking and that it is easy to quit. Data were used to develop an occasional smoking print campaign (e.g., newspaper, table tents, posters). The campaign materials were refined and piloted in a series of focus groups before being launched in 2003. The campaign was evaluated in 2004 via another student survey (N=1247). Results suggest significant changes in beliefs about occasional smoking being bad for health, that occasional smokers can quit anytime, and the benefits of not smoking occasionally. In addition, during and after the campaign, requests to the student health center for quit kits doubled compared to pre-campaign requests.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session participants will be able to (
• differentiate the attitudes and beliefs about occasional versus regular smoking, (
• clarify the differences between smoking identity and smoking behavior leading to smoking “non-smokers”, and (
• understand the potential benefits of occasional smoking campaigns.

Keywords: Health Communications, Risk Communication

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.