Tobacco and Nicotine Use Among Students at Community Colleges and 4-Year Institutions
Implications for Equitable Implementation of Prevention and Cessation Strategies
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21646406 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Eleanor L S Leavens (0000-0003-2948-2384, Department of Population Health, University of Kansas Medical Center), Joan Masters (0000-0001-8348-2874, University of Missouri), Amy Dobrzycki (University of Missouri), Kayleigh Greenwood (University of Missouri), Ashley C Helle (0000-0002-9115-777X, University of Missouri, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 60 |
| Issue | 14 |
| Pages | 2263-2269 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-06 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Substance Use & Misuse (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1082-6084 • E-ISSN: 1532-2491 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10826084.2025.2539464 |
| PMID | 40762309 |
| OpenAlex | W4412958013 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 9 |
Introduction Evidence-based tobacco prevention and cessation are critical in the college setting. Relative to 4-year institutions, community colleges (CCs) are significantly under resourced in substance prevention. Prior work has demonstrated differences in tobacco use prevalence between 4-year and CC students. The present study expands prior work by examining 4-year and CC student tobacco use patterns across various types of tobacco products and intentions to change, to inform prevention efforts for 4-year and CC campuses.Methods A 2024 statewide (Missouri) survey of 4-year (N = 4,956) and CC (N = 2,358) students was leveraged to examine differences in tobacco/nicotine use and intentions to change.Results A greater proportion of CC students reported ever using tobacco/nicotine (42.3%) relative to 4-year students (33.1%). Among students who used tobacco/nicotine in the past year, a greater proportion of CC students reported daily combustible (n = 97, 40.6%) and electronic cigarette use (n = 241, 55.8%) compared to 4-year students (n cigarette = 38, 8.0%; n e-cigarette = 309, 37.6%). A higher proportion of 4-year students had successfully quit tobacco/nicotine since entering college (32.1% vs. 26.9%), whereas a higher proportion of CC students indicated attempts or consideration of quitting (52.4% vs. 39.8%). Across both groups, most had not sought assistance with quitting (CC = 63.9%, 4-year = 64.7%).Discussion CCs and 4-year colleges have differing campus- and student-level needs for tobacco use prevention and cessation. Equitably resourcing CC and 4-year colleges to address tobacco is critical. Efforts to increase implementation and capacity for implementation at CCs and 4-year institutions are key priorities to meet the needs of these institutions and students
Environmental health · Medical education · Nicotine · Psychiatry · Smoking cessation · Tobacco use · Medicine · Psychology · School Health and Nursing Education · Smoking Behavior and Cessation · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
| Highly cited | No |
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