Intent to quit among daily and non-daily college student smokers

• Published in: Health education research Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 313 - 325
• Main Authors: Pinsker, E. A., Berg, C. J., Nehl, E. J., Prokhorov, A. V., Buchanan, T. S., Ahluwalia, J. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01-04-2013
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude to Health; Behavior Change; College Students; Depression - epidemiology; Drinking; Female; Health Behavior; Humans; Incidence; Intention; Intervention; Male; Marijuana; Motivation; Online Surveys; Original; ORIGINAL ARTICLES; Psychology; Psychosocial factors; Self Efficacy; Smoker-Nonsmoker interactions; Smoking; Smoking - epidemiology; Smoking - psychology; Smoking Cessation - psychology; Southeastern United States - epidemiology; Student Attitudes; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Substance Abuse; Surveys and Questionnaires; Undergraduate students; Universities; Young Adult; Young adults; Southeastern United States; United States > US
• ISSN: 0268-1153; 1465-3648
• DOI: 10.1093/her/cys116

Given the high prevalence of young adult smoking, we examined (i) psychosocial factors and substance use among college students representing five smoking patterns and histories [non-smokers, quitters, native non-daily smokers (i.e. never daily smokers), converted non-daily smokers (i.e. former daily smokers) and daily smokers] and (ii) smoking category as it relates to readiness to quit among current smokers. Of the 4438 students at six Southeast colleges who completed an online survey, 69.7% = 3094) were non-smokers, 6.6% (n = 293) were quitters, 7.1% (n = 317) were native non-daily smokers, 6.4% (n = 283) were converted non-daily smokers and 10.2% (n = 451) were daily smokers. There were differences in sociodemographics, substance use (alcohol, marijuana, other tobacco products) in the past 30 days and psychosocial factors among these subgroups of students (P< 0.001). Among current smokers, there were differences in cigarettes smoked per day, recent quit attempts, self-identification as a smoker, self-efficacy and motivation to quit (P < 0.001). After controlling for important factors, converted non-daily smokers were more likely to be ready to quit in the next month versus native non-daily smokers (OR = 2.15, CI 132-3.49, P = 0.002). Understanding differences among young adults with different smoking patterns and histories is critical in developing interventions targeting psychosocial factors impacting cessation among this population.