Smoking-related behaviors among young adults: Contrasts based on level of education

Although many studies have examined smoking behaviors among college students, few compare college students to their same-age peers not in college, or compare two-year technical college students to other college students. In this study we examine smoking behaviors among 2,789 young adults (age 18-23; not in high school) from a U.S. community-based sample who were interviewed via telephone in 2007. We constructed three groups based on education level: (1) not enrolled in college and no college degree; (2) enrolled in two-year technical college or obtained two-year degree; and (3) enrolled in non-technical college or obtained four-year degree. We compared groups across demographics, smoking exposures, tobacco use, and addictive behaviors. Across the three groups, we found significant differences across all characteristics, with members of the four-year group generally least likely to demonstrate smoking and addictive behaviors and smoking exposures, the non-college group being most likely to demonstrate such behaviors and exposures, and the technical college group representing a midpoint. In pair-wise comparisons between the two college groups, many associations were particularly strong—members of technical college group were more likely to live with smokers, be smokers (cigarettes, pipe, cigars), and use smokeless tobacco; the smokers were considerably more likely to consider themselves smokers (42% vs. 26%) and smoke on a daily basis (40% vs. 20%). Our findings show that young adult smoking behaviors clearly differ across educational levels and interventions for each group may need to be tailored to address these differences. Implications for research and intervention programs will be discussed.