title: Support for smoke-free vocational education settings: an exploratory survey of staff behaviours, experiences and attitudes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  TAFE staff are likely to play a pivotal role in achieving smoke-free environments for vocational education.The aim of this survey was to explore staff experiences, behaviours and attitudes towards smoking and smoke-free policies for the TAFE setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  A web-based survey that measured smoking behaviours, on-campus exposure to smoking, awareness of smoke-free policies and attitudes towards smoking and tobacco control was e-mailed to al staff at one TAFE New South Wales (NSW) institute. In total, 632 staff completed the survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 10% of staff reported to be current daily, weekly or occasional smokers. Most staff (76.2%) said that they saw someone smoking at TAFE every day and the most common location was'outside buildings'(75.3%). A majority of staff (75.9%) said they avoided places at TAFE where they were exposed to other peoples'cigarette smoke. Only 26% said that existing smoking policies were always enforced. Non-smokers had a significantly higher (p<0.005) pro-tobacco control attitudes score mean of 4.2 (SD=1.8), compared with the mean of 2.3 (SD=1.4) for current smokers. Status as a non-smoker was the only statistically significant predictor of high pro-tobacco control attitude score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides preliminary evidence that TAFE staff are likely to be supportive of smoke-free TAFE campuses.
authors: The Centre for Health Research & Psycho-Oncology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW. billie.bonevski@newcastle.edu.au
authors: Billie
authors: B
authors: Bonevski
authors: Christine L
authors: CL
authors: Paul
authors: Raoula A
authors: RA
authors: Walsh
authors: Jamie
authors: J
authors: Bryant
authors: Christophe
authors: C
authors: Lecathelinais
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005178:Faculty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006291:Health Policy; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D016134:Organizational Policy; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014829:Vocational Education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D000078329:Workforce
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution