Predictors of smoking among US college students
K M Emmons1, H Wechsler, G Dowdall
1Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Objectives:
This study explored predictors of smoking among a large, representative national sample of students enrolled in American 4-year colleges.
Methods:
A sample of undergraduate students, randomly selected from 140 colleges, was sent a detailed questionnaire that included questions about smoking status.
Results:
The 30-day smoking prevalence was 22.3%; 25% of the participants were former smokers. Multivariate analyses suggested that, among college students, men are less likely to smoke than women. In addition, high-risk behaviors (e.g., marijuana use) and lifestyle choices (e.g., nonparticipation in athletics) increased the likelihood of being a smoker.
Conclusions:
This study's findings have important implications for health education and promotion among college populations.
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