The ecological approach in tobacco-control practice: health promotion practitioner characteristics related to using...

To identify cognitive factors and personal characteristics related to the integration of the ecological approach in the everyday practice of health promotion practitioners.

Sociodemographic, cognitive, and behavior data were collected using a cross-sectional mail survey.

Information was collected from regional public health organizations (n = 129) in the 10 Canadian provinces.

Health promotion practitioners involved in tobacco-control programming for youth (n = 524) comprised of 81% women with a mean age of 39 years.

Attempts to integrate ecological strategies (i.e., interpersonal, organizational, and policy change) into tobacco-control practice were based on three self-report items. Six scales assessed knowledge, values, and normative beliefs about the ecological approach as well as perceived need for, effectiveness of, and competency regarding using the ecological approach.

The survey response rate was 80%. Stepwise discriminant analyses revealed four predictors (p < .001) contributing to the function solution concerning practitioner attempts to target the interpersonal environment: perceived competency, training discipline, years doing health promotion, and gender. Three predictors (p < .001) contributed to each of the function solutions concerning practitioner attempts to target the organizational environment (perceived competency, perceived effectiveness, and normative beliefs) and practitioner attempts at policy change (perceived competency, knowledge, and normative beliefs).

Tobacco-control practitioners who perceive themselves as having the skills to develop and/or implement interventions targeting a person's environment are more likely to target the environment for change.