title: Supportive of a smoke-free campus but opposed to a 100% tobacco-free campus: Identification of predictors among university students, faculty, and staff.
abstract: Many universities are adopting campus tobacco policies, but little research has explored factors influencing the choice between the policy options of smoke-free versus 100% tobacco-free. Students, faculty, and staff at a U.S. state university participated in a web-based survey in 2013, approximately one year after adoption of a smoke-free policy. Respondents who expressed support for the policy were included in an analysis to examine their opinions regarding a 100% tobacco-free policy. The samples included 4138 students and 1582 faculty/staff. Bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify predictors of opposition to a tobacco-free campus. Independent variables included strength of support for a smoke-free campus, past-month tobacco use (cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, non-cigarette combustible tobacco products), campus exposure to secondhand smoke, perceptions of tobacco-related behaviors and norms, and demographics. Of these supporters of a smoke-free campus, 14.3% of students and 10.2% of faculty/staff were opposed to a tobacco-free campus. In the multivariate analyses, in both samples, smokeless tobacco use predicted opposition while smoke-free policy support and female gender predicted support. In addition, among students, current or former cigarette smoking and non-cigarette combustible tobacco use predicted opposition; international student status and secondhand smoke exposure predicted support. Among faculty/staff, age over 55 predicted support. Future research should examine why current and former smokers might oppose policies restricting non-combustible tobacco products, even when they support smoke-free policies. In policy planning, campus administrators should communicate actual tobacco usage levels. International students who do not use tobacco may be a source of policy support.
authors: School of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. Electronic address: marc.braverman@oregonstate.edu.
authors: Marc T
authors: MT
authors: Braverman
authors: Advising Services, Linn-Benton Community College, Albany, OR 97321, USA. Electronic address: hoogesl@linnbenton.edu.
authors: Lisa A
authors: LA
authors: Hoogesteger
authors: Southern Nevada Health District, Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107, USA. Electronic address: johnsonjes@snhdmail.org.
authors: Jessica A
authors: JA
authors: Johnson
authors: Department of Health Promotion, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: leif.edvard.aaro@fhi.no.
authors: Leif Edvard
authors: LE
authors: Aarø
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D061845:Smoke-Free Policy; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013334:Students; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D064424:Tobacco Use; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014495:Universities
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
keywords: Secondhand smoke; Smoke-free policy; Smokeless tobacco; Tobacco products; Universities