Use of a Living Lab approach to implement a smoke-free campus policy
Introduction While universities have increasingly become tobacco-/smoke-free, to our knowledge, 100% policy adherence has yet to be achieved. Innovative approaches to encourage adherence and its assessment are needed. This paper describes actions undertaken, framed within a Living Lab (LL) approach,...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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European Publishing
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Tobacco Prevention and Cessation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tobaccopreventioncessation.com/Use-of-a-Living-Lab-approach-to-implement-a-smoke-free-campus-policy,162814,0,2.html |
| _version_ | 1797338053884248064 |
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| author | Martina Mullin Shane Allwright David McGrath Catherine B. Hayes |
| author_facet | Martina Mullin Shane Allwright David McGrath Catherine B. Hayes |
| author_sort | Martina Mullin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction
While universities have increasingly become tobacco-/smoke-free, to our knowledge, 100% policy adherence has yet to be achieved. Innovative approaches to encourage adherence and its assessment are needed. This paper describes actions undertaken, framed within a Living Lab (LL) approach, to implement smoke-free campus policies in an Irish city-centre university (approximately 22,000 students and staff). A specific objective was to assess adherence and compliance to a pilot smoke-free zones policy (June 2016-March 2018), and to a campus-wide smoke-free policy (March 2019-February 2020).
Material and Methods
A participatory action research approach was undertaken. Data on directly observed smoking was collected by student ‘smoke-free ambassadors’. Adherence was defined as the average reduction in number of observed smokers per check from baseline (May 2016), calculated by dividing the total number of observed smokers by the number of checks of campus on any given day. Compliance was defined as the proportion of smokers who adhered when requested to comply with the policy and was calculated by analysis of the responses from smokers to smoke-free ambassadors’ requests.
Results
2,909 smokers were observed from June 2016-February 2020. The average number of smokers per check decreased from 5.7 to 4.5 (79%). Overall compliance was 90% (2,610/2909). Additional activities within the LL framework included development of a broader health promotion programme; identification of a pattern of ‘social smoking’; and promoting increased awareness of the environmental harms of tobacco.
Conclusions
Specific actions directed towards the goal of a smoke-free campus framed within the characteristics of a LL achieved fewer observed smokers. Successful smoke-free policy implementation requires ongoing data collection and evaluation. A LL approach is recommended. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:25:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e24ce19995eb47e192a8af0be125c031 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2459-3087 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:25:26Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | European Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tobacco Prevention and Cessation |
| spelling | doaj.art-e24ce19995eb47e192a8af0be125c0312024-01-31T10:28:10ZengEuropean PublishingTobacco Prevention and Cessation2459-30872023-04-019Supplement10.18332/tpc/162814162814Use of a Living Lab approach to implement a smoke-free campus policyMartina Mullin0Shane Allwright1David McGrath2Catherine B. Hayes3College Health, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, College Green, Dublin, IrelandPublic Health & Primary Care, Institute of Population Health, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, Russell Centre, Tallaght Cross, Dublin, IrelandCollege Health, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, College Green, Dublin, IrelandPublic Health & Primary Care, Institute of Population Health, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, Russell Centre, Tallaght Cross, Dublin, IrelandIntroduction While universities have increasingly become tobacco-/smoke-free, to our knowledge, 100% policy adherence has yet to be achieved. Innovative approaches to encourage adherence and its assessment are needed. This paper describes actions undertaken, framed within a Living Lab (LL) approach, to implement smoke-free campus policies in an Irish city-centre university (approximately 22,000 students and staff). A specific objective was to assess adherence and compliance to a pilot smoke-free zones policy (June 2016-March 2018), and to a campus-wide smoke-free policy (March 2019-February 2020). Material and Methods A participatory action research approach was undertaken. Data on directly observed smoking was collected by student ‘smoke-free ambassadors’. Adherence was defined as the average reduction in number of observed smokers per check from baseline (May 2016), calculated by dividing the total number of observed smokers by the number of checks of campus on any given day. Compliance was defined as the proportion of smokers who adhered when requested to comply with the policy and was calculated by analysis of the responses from smokers to smoke-free ambassadors’ requests. Results 2,909 smokers were observed from June 2016-February 2020. The average number of smokers per check decreased from 5.7 to 4.5 (79%). Overall compliance was 90% (2,610/2909). Additional activities within the LL framework included development of a broader health promotion programme; identification of a pattern of ‘social smoking’; and promoting increased awareness of the environmental harms of tobacco. Conclusions Specific actions directed towards the goal of a smoke-free campus framed within the characteristics of a LL achieved fewer observed smokers. Successful smoke-free policy implementation requires ongoing data collection and evaluation. A LL approach is recommended.https://www.tobaccopreventioncessation.com/Use-of-a-Living-Lab-approach-to-implement-a-smoke-free-campus-policy,162814,0,2.htmlsmoke-free campus policy tobacco-free campus policyliving labaction researchpolicy adherencepolicy complianceuniversity |
| spellingShingle | Martina Mullin Shane Allwright David McGrath Catherine B. Hayes Use of a Living Lab approach to implement a smoke-free campus policy Tobacco Prevention and Cessation smoke-free campus policy tobacco-free campus policy living lab action research policy adherence policy compliance university |
| title | Use of a Living Lab approach to implement a smoke-free campus policy |
| title_full | Use of a Living Lab approach to implement a smoke-free campus policy |
| title_fullStr | Use of a Living Lab approach to implement a smoke-free campus policy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Use of a Living Lab approach to implement a smoke-free campus policy |
| title_short | Use of a Living Lab approach to implement a smoke-free campus policy |
| title_sort | use of a living lab approach to implement a smoke free campus policy |
| topic | smoke-free campus policy tobacco-free campus policy living lab action research policy adherence policy compliance university |
| url | https://www.tobaccopreventioncessation.com/Use-of-a-Living-Lab-approach-to-implement-a-smoke-free-campus-policy,162814,0,2.html |
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