A three wave assessment of a tobacco free campus policy within a minority serving institution

• Published in: Journal of American college health 2024-11, Vol.72 (8), p.2775-2782
• Main Authors: Cabriales, José Alonso, Hernandez, Nora, Taylor, Thom, Cooper, Theodore V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Attitudes; Attitudes toward tobacco-free policies; College campuses; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Male; Minority Groups - psychology; Minority Groups - statistics & numerical data; Nonsmokers; Organizational Policy; Risk assessment; smoke-free campus policies; Smoke-Free Policy - legislation & jurisprudence; Smoking - epidemiology; Smoking - psychology; Smoking cessation; Smoking Cessation - psychology; Smoking Cessation - statistics & numerical data; Sociodemographics; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Tobacco; tobacco-free campus policies; Universities - organization & administration; Universities - statistics & numerical data; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0744-8481; 1940-3208; 1940-3208
• DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2022.2129978

This study assessed changes (in relation to smoking status) in tobacco use, attitudes toward TFC policies, and tobacco use risk knowledge by applying a three Wave repeated cross-sectional assessment. Participants were students at Wave 1 (n = 2,169), Wave 2 (n = 2,576), and Wave 3 (n = 2,169) and faculty at Wave 1 (n = 256), Wave 2 (n = 204), and Wave 3 (n = 180). Measures regarding sociodemographics, tobacco use, attitudes toward TFC policies, and tobacco use risk knowledge were completed. Compared with Wave 1, more students reported having quit smoking within the last six months at Waves 2 and 3. The negative attitudes toward TFC policies of those who reported quitting in the last six months aligned with those of nonsmokers. Study findings suggest smoking status as a relevant covariate to focus on to further strengthen and refine existing TFC policies.