Measuring Student Perceptions of University Tobacco-Free Policy: The Campus Tobacco-Free Policy Scale

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to expand the use of the recently created Campus Tobacco-Free Policy Scale and examine the perceptions of tobacco-free policy benefits and enforcement among on campus residents (N = 1,235). Results indicated high scale reliability (alpha = 0.829), as well as differences between the tobacco users’ and non-users’ health beliefs and policy support. Scale scores revealed that users were much less likely to indicate support for tobacco-free campus policies than non-users (p< 0.001). Users and non-users responded positively that a tobacco-free policy would create a healthier campus environment; however, non-users were more likely to recognize the importance of a tobacco-free policy and feel that students would support the policy (p < 0.001). Both users and non-users indicated support for university-led enforcement strategies as opposed to peer confrontation strategies. The Campus Tobacco-Free Policy Scale is a valid, reliable instrument to examine student support for tobacco-free campus policies.