2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

Home Events & Meetings Annual Meeting Schedule & Program

Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

323168
Tobacco-Free Campus Initiative: University of Vermont Tobacco Use and Attitudes Survey


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Hillary Anderson, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
Kyle Concannon, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
Catherine LaPenta, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
Robin Leopold, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
Christina Litsakos, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
Imelda Muller, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
Asaad Traina, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
Thomas V. Delaney, PhD, Pediatrics, UVM College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
Burton Wilcke, PhD, Department of Medical Laboratory and Radiation Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
Jan K. Carney, MD, MPH, Medicine, Robert Larner MD College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
Introduction. Smoking remains a public health issue in U.S. colleges: 28% of U.S. college students began smoking at age 19 or older.

Objective. To determine the prevalence of tobacco use, attitudes, and awareness of cessation resources among UVM students, staff, and faculty.

Methods.  A web-based survey was administered to 18,408 UVM students, faculty, and staff, using validated questions about tobacco use. Data were analyzed across three variables: Current Smokers, Former Smokers, and Never Smokers. An 18-point Attitude Score was derived from 6 questions to quantify attitudes towards a Tobacco-Free Campus.

Results. 3,177 surveys were returned from undergraduates (1603), graduate students (377), staff (805), and faculty (369). Overall response rate was 17.3%. 12.5% of respondents were Current Smokers, 13.8% were Former Smokers, and 74.7% were Never Smokers. Smoking prevalence varied among undergraduates (19.1%), staff (7.5%), graduate students (5.1%), and faculty (2.2%). 47.2% of undergraduates used some form of tobacco in the last 30 days. 68.1% of respondents reported being exposed to second-hand smoke on campus and 54.7% knew where to find cessation resources on campus. Non-smokers (Never Smokers and Former Smokers) expressed significantly more positive sentiments toward a Tobacco-Free Campus than Current Smokers, as measured by the Tobacco-Free Attitude Score (ANOVA p<.01). Non-smokers found second-hand smoke over four times more bothersome than did Smokers. E-cigarette use in the past 30 days was highest in freshmen (25.7%); underclassmen were 2.9 times more likely to use e-cigarettes than upperclassmen.

 

Conclusions. Results provide baseline data to assess the longitudinal impact of a Tobacco-Free policy.

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Compare the prevalence of non-smokers, former smokers, and current smokers by university affiliation. Describe the relationship between attitude towards a tobacco-free campus and smoking status. Discuss prevalence and implications of e-cigarette, cigarettes, and any tobacco products use by expected year of graduation. Identify prevalence of exposure to second-hand smoke and most common locations. Identify potential areas of focus for tobacco-cessation resources on university campuses.

Keyword(s): Tobacco Control, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I participated in design, implementation, data collection, analysis and interpretation, writing, and presentation of this project.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4269.0: Tobacco Use and Tobacco-Free Smoking Attitudes among College Students