Abstract

Background. Cigarette smoking, the primary source of tobacco used by adults 18-25, has remained stable, at around 21-25%, in the college population since 2003. Many college students report their smoking as primarily a “social” behavior, which may reflect an emerging type of smoker. Ambiguity exists in defining and categorizing smokers in the college population.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine psychosocial perceptions related to smoking among college students who currently smoke and those who do not smoke, and among different types of smokers. In addition, validation of self-reported smoking behavior with saliva cotinine was conducted in a small sample of students.

Method. A convenience sample of 490 college students enrolled at a large southwestern university was selected. Data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire, which was pilot tested in a similar sample of college students (n=138) prior to the main study. The dependent variables assessed were attitudes towards smoking, social normative beliefs about smoking, self efficacy for not smoking, and perceptions of the risks related to smoking. The primary independent variable was smoking status. Two subsamples were randomly selected to assess saliva cotinine (n=50) and determine test-retest reliability (n=72) for selected psychosocial scales.

Results. Most students (53%) had tried smoking and of those, 31.4% were identified as current smokers, classified primarily as nondaily light (40.9%) and inconsistent smokers (40.3%). These two smoking groups reported significantly higher resistance self-efficacy, lower perceived risk and fewer benefits of smoking, and less nicotine dependence, compared to daily smokers. Of those who had tried smoking, 40% first used cigarettes between the ages of 18-24. Most current smokers (72%) reported smoking only in social situations; 56% identified themselves as “social smokers” and 46% of the nonsocial smokers reported smoking only in social situations. The results from the saliva cotinine validation of self-reported smoking were inconclusive.

Conclusion. Low-level smoking is a key characteristic of most college smokers. Standard measures of smoking behavior and classification may underestimate smoking prevalence in college populations. Social smoking appears to not only be an identifiable subgroup of smokers, but is the primary characteristic of most college students who smoke. Future research should investigate the characteristics of college smokers who transition to more frequent smoking during and after the college years.

School

School of Public Health

First Advisor

Helen Hopp Marshak

Second Advisor

Joyce Hopp

Third Advisor

Emmanuel Rudatsikira

Degree Name

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

2010

Date (Title Page)

6-2010

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

College students -- Conduct of life; Tobacco Use Disorder; Nicotine -- contraindication; Smoking -- prevention & control; Attitude to Health; Students -- psychology; Risk-Taking; Social Perception; Peer Group; Longitudinal Studies

Type

Dissertation

Page Count

xi; 168

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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