Transitions in smoking status in nursing students: A prospective longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Behavior

Background:

• Nursing students' tobacco use is a significant public health concern due to their future role in patient care and cessation support.
• College years represent a critical period for the initiation, consolidation, and change of smoking behaviors among students.
• Understanding transitions in smoking status and their predictors is crucial for developing effective tobacco control interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in smoking status among nursing students over a three-year period.
• To identify factors associated with quitting smoking in this specific demographic.
• To provide evidence for the implementation of targeted tobacco control strategies in educational settings.

Main Methods:

• An observational prospective longitudinal study was conducted with 4381 nursing students in Catalonia, Spain.
• Smoking status transitions were analyzed, including progression from current to former smoking, never to current smoking, and former smoker relapse.
• Logistic regression models were employed to determine predictors of smoking cessation.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of current smokers decreased from 29.7% to 23.6% between baseline (2015-2016) and follow-up (2018-2019).
• A cumulative incidence of quitting smoking was 28.3% during the study period.
• Nondaily smokers demonstrated a higher likelihood of quitting compared to daily smokers; 4.6% of never smokers became smokers, and 23.2% of former smokers relapsed.

Conclusions:

• Nondaily smoking status at baseline was a significant predictor of successful quitting among nursing students.
• The findings underscore the need for early and comprehensive tobacco control programs within university settings.
• Recommended interventions include tobacco-free campus policies, prevention programs, and accessible cessation support tailored for college students.