University Staff and Students’ Attitudes towards a Completely Smoke-Free Campus: Shifting Social Norms and Organisational Culture for Health Promotion

Marguerite C. Sendall, Lauren Fox and Darren Wraith
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Marguerite C. Sendall: Faculty of Health, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia
Lauren Fox: Faculty of Health, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia
Darren Wraith: Faculty of Health, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 13, 1-11

Abstract: A large university in Queensland, Australia with a diverse staff and student community introduced a campus wide smoke-free policy in 2016. The purpose of this enquiry was to understand attitudes about a new smoke-free policy, its potential impact and the shift in social norms and organizational culture to inform the next phase of implementation. An electronic survey was distributed to all staff and students approximately 12 weeks after the smoke-free policy was implemented. The survey consisted of multiple-choice questions about demographics, smoking behaviour, attitudes towards smoking and tobacco control, awareness of the smoke-free policy, and attitudes towards the effect of a completely smoke-free campus on quality of life, learning and enrolment. The survey was completed by 641 university staff and students. Respondents reported seeking out (80.4%) and socialising in smoke-free environments (86.6%) and supported smoke-free buildings (96.1%), indoor areas (91.6%), and outdoor areas (79%). The results revealed overwhelming support for a completely smoke-free campus (83%) and minority support for designated smoking areas (31%). Overall, respondents reflected positively towards a campus wide smoke-free policy. These findings suggest Queensland’s early adoption of tobacco control laws influenced the social environment, de-normalised smoking, changed behaviour, preference for smoke-free environments and shifted social norms. These findings provide convincing evidence for organisational change and suggest health promotion policy makers should progress the implementation of smoke-free policies nationally across the higher education sector.

Keywords: cigarette smoking; tobacco control; smoke-free policy; smoking attitudes; university setting; health promotion; public health; organizational culture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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