Evaluating a tobacco-free university policy: A repeated cross-sectional survey of faculty and staff in Lebanon
Introduction A growing body of research has evaluated the effect of university tobacco-free policies on faculty and staff, however, none of these studies has been carried out in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. This study evaluates changes in faculty and staff attitudes, perceptions and smoking beh...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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European Publishing
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Tobacco Induced Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.tobaccoinduceddiseases.org/Evaluating-a-tobacco-free-university-policy-A-repeated-cross-sectional-nsurvey-of,133751,0,2.html |
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| author | Dina Farran Rima Nakkash Mahmoud Al-Hindi Maya Romani Martin J. O. Asser Mary Khairallah Monique Chaaya |
| author_facet | Dina Farran Rima Nakkash Mahmoud Al-Hindi Maya Romani Martin J. O. Asser Mary Khairallah Monique Chaaya |
| author_sort | Dina Farran |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction
A growing body of research has evaluated the effect of university
tobacco-free policies on faculty and staff, however, none of these studies has been
carried out in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. This study evaluates changes
in faculty and staff attitudes, perceptions and smoking behavior, at 1 year post
adoption of a tobacco-free policy in a medium-sized university in Lebanon and
the region.
Methods
Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2017 and 2018: baseline
and at 1 year post policy implementation. A random sample of 625 and 624
participants took part in the 2017 and 2018 studies, respectively.
Results
Faculty and staff had a positive attitude towards the policy at the two
time points. The belief that there should be exceptions to the policy significantly
decreased from 79% to 59% (p=0.002) among all smokers, particularly those with
lower educational attainment (81% to 57%, p=0.007). Perception of compliance
among peer smokers increased from 73% to 87% (p=0.009). The proportion
of smokers did not significantly change at 1 year post policy implementation,
however, 44% of smokers with lower educational attainment, compared to only
7% of those with higher educational attainment (p<0.001), reported a decrease
in their smoking behavior outside campus.
Conclusions
The policy had a positive effect on the attitude, behavior and
perception of policy benefits among smokers with lower educational attainment,
who constitute the majority of smokers. Findings from this study inform and
support future efforts to develop university and workplace tobacco-free policies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:27:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-588697208f5144a39db836cfaddc629e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1617-9625 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:27:39Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | European Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tobacco Induced Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-588697208f5144a39db836cfaddc629e2022-12-22T02:41:27ZengEuropean PublishingTobacco Induced Diseases1617-96252021-05-0119May11010.18332/tid/133751133751Evaluating a tobacco-free university policy: A repeated cross-sectional survey of faculty and staff in LebanonDina Farran0Rima Nakkash1Mahmoud Al-Hindi2Maya Romani3Martin J. O. Asser4Mary Khairallah5Monique Chaaya6Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, LebanonDepartment of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, LebanonDepartment of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Energy, Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut, Beirut, LebanonDepartment of Family Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, LebanonOffice of Communications, American University of Beirut, Beirut, LebanonOffice of Human Resources, American University of Beirut, Beirut, LebanonDepartment of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, LebanonIntroduction A growing body of research has evaluated the effect of university tobacco-free policies on faculty and staff, however, none of these studies has been carried out in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. This study evaluates changes in faculty and staff attitudes, perceptions and smoking behavior, at 1 year post adoption of a tobacco-free policy in a medium-sized university in Lebanon and the region. Methods Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2017 and 2018: baseline and at 1 year post policy implementation. A random sample of 625 and 624 participants took part in the 2017 and 2018 studies, respectively. Results Faculty and staff had a positive attitude towards the policy at the two time points. The belief that there should be exceptions to the policy significantly decreased from 79% to 59% (p=0.002) among all smokers, particularly those with lower educational attainment (81% to 57%, p=0.007). Perception of compliance among peer smokers increased from 73% to 87% (p=0.009). The proportion of smokers did not significantly change at 1 year post policy implementation, however, 44% of smokers with lower educational attainment, compared to only 7% of those with higher educational attainment (p<0.001), reported a decrease in their smoking behavior outside campus. Conclusions The policy had a positive effect on the attitude, behavior and perception of policy benefits among smokers with lower educational attainment, who constitute the majority of smokers. Findings from this study inform and support future efforts to develop university and workplace tobacco-free policies.http://www.tobaccoinduceddiseases.org/Evaluating-a-tobacco-free-university-policy-A-repeated-cross-sectional-nsurvey-of,133751,0,2.htmltobacco-free policiessmoking behavioruniversityfacultystaff |
| spellingShingle | Dina Farran Rima Nakkash Mahmoud Al-Hindi Maya Romani Martin J. O. Asser Mary Khairallah Monique Chaaya Evaluating a tobacco-free university policy: A repeated cross-sectional survey of faculty and staff in Lebanon Tobacco Induced Diseases tobacco-free policies smoking behavior university faculty staff |
| title | Evaluating a tobacco-free university policy: A repeated cross-sectional
survey of faculty and staff in Lebanon |
| title_full | Evaluating a tobacco-free university policy: A repeated cross-sectional
survey of faculty and staff in Lebanon |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating a tobacco-free university policy: A repeated cross-sectional
survey of faculty and staff in Lebanon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating a tobacco-free university policy: A repeated cross-sectional
survey of faculty and staff in Lebanon |
| title_short | Evaluating a tobacco-free university policy: A repeated cross-sectional
survey of faculty and staff in Lebanon |
| title_sort | evaluating a tobacco free university policy a repeated cross sectional survey of faculty and staff in lebanon |
| topic | tobacco-free policies smoking behavior university faculty staff |
| url | http://www.tobaccoinduceddiseases.org/Evaluating-a-tobacco-free-university-policy-A-repeated-cross-sectional-nsurvey-of,133751,0,2.html |
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