Factors Associated With Smoking, Quit Attempts and Attitudes towards Total Smoking Bans at University: A Survey of Seven Universities in England, Wales and Northern ireland

Abstract

Objectives: This study assessed the associations between socio-demographic, health and wellbeing variables (independent variables) and daily smoking, attempts to quit smoking, and agreement with smoking ban (dependent variables). Methods: Data from 3,706 undergraduate students were collected from seven universities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland using a standardised questionnaire. Results: About 15.8% of the whole sample reported daily smoking, while 12% were occasional smokers. Smoking was significantly more prevalent among males, but the difference was due to a higher rate of occasional smokers. About every second smoker (55%) had attempted to quit smoking. Almost 45% of the whole sample agreed or strongly agreed with implementing a total smoking ban on campus. Daily smoking was more likely among students with not sufficient income, students whose fathers had at least a bachelor degree; and, students who reported binge drinking. Conversely, daily smoking was less likely among students who rated their health as very good/ excellent, those who ate ≥5 portions of fruit or vegetables, and those who had never taken illicit drugs. Previous attempt/s to quit smoking were more likely among students who have never taken illicit drugs and those who agreed with a total smoking ban; and less likely among those with not sufficient income. Daily smokers were less likely to report quit attempts as compared to occasional smokers. An agreement with smoking ban was more likely among students who rated their health as very good/ excellent, those who ate ≥5 portions of fruit or vegetables daily, and those who had never taken illicit drugs, but less likely among daily smokers. Conclusion: Favourable health practices and positive attitudes towards smoking ban were associated with each other. Interventions would need to comprise multi-component programmes that do not solely focus on smoking prevention/cessation, but also on other health promoting practices as well.

Prevenção da iniciação do consumo do tabaco: grupo focal com jovens universitários

“…O delineamento de intervenções mais efetivas para influenciar positivamente comportamentos preventivos durante a vida universitária implica na redução do consumo e no aumento do número de tentativas para a cessação do consumo do tabaco e reforça a adesão aos ambientes livres de poluição tabagística ambiental (PTA) e a aceitação de políticas e restrições nos campi pelos fumantes e não fumantes 7,8,[13][14][15] . Nesse sentido, as IES representam ambientes potencialmente favoráveis à saúde e que devem reforçar a participação do corpo discente, docente e técnico-administrativo para o estabelecimento de medidas individuais e coletivas para consolidar a legislação vigente no país relacionada à proibição do consumo de tabaco em ambientes total ou parcialmente cobertos 16 .…”

“…Ações em promoção da saúde devem reconhecer os fatores de risco relacionados ao início da experimentação do tabaco, sem desconsiderar os fatores de proteção do indivíduo a fim de extrapolar para aspectos relacionados à família e aos recursos comunitários 2 e integrar a abordagem de outros hábitos saudáveis na prevenção e controle do tabagismo entre jovens universitários 7,18,19 . Nesse sentido, não se exclui a importância de proteger a própria saúde dos prejuízos e das doenças tabacorelacionadas e ter maior controle sobre si na evitação do consumo do tabaco conforme mencionado pelos participantes dessa pesquisa.…”

“…Desse modo, o enfermeiro pode empregar a educação em saúde aliada a ações comportamentais, culturais, institucionais e socioambientais a fim de garantir a positividade da saúde no decorrer da vida acadêmica 6 . A incipiência de avaliações sobre fatores de proteção, em detrimento daquelas que enfatizam os fatores de risco relacionados ao consumo de tabaco entre jovens universitários, pode dificultar o delineamento de ações preventivas de caráter multifatorial e de estratégias baseadas na adoção de outros hábitos saudáveis em programas de Promoção da Saúde em Universidades 7,8 . Pretendeu-se contribuir para reduzir essa lacuna do conhecimento por meio da seguinte questão norteadora: Quais estratégias foram empregadas por jovens universitários a fim de evitar a iniciação do consumo de tabaco?…”

Modification of a Smoking Motivation Questionnaire for Chinese Medical Students

“…Studies on students of Nigeria, India, and Turkey indicate that being male and having parents or friends who smoke were more likely to initiate smoking (Golbasi et al, 2011;Muttappallymyalil et al, 2012;Odukoya et al, 2013;Ozturk et al, 2011). A study with 3, 706 undergraduate students from seven universities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland found that smoker was low income, or those fathers had at least a bachelor degree, and binge drinkers (Ansari et al, 2012). While smoker was less likely to be healthy students, or those ate more than portions of fruit or vegetables, had never taken illicit drugs (Ansari and Stock, 2012).…”

“…A study with 3, 706 undergraduate students from seven universities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland found that smoker was low income, or those fathers had at least a bachelor degree, and binge drinkers (Ansari et al, 2012). While smoker was less likely to be healthy students, or those ate more than portions of fruit or vegetables, had never taken illicit drugs (Ansari and Stock, 2012). The medical education and the health risks knowledge of smoking could decrease the prevalence of smoking in adolescence, as the prevalence of smoking was significant higher in non-medical female students than medical female students in Saudi Arabia (Azhar et al, 2012).…”