Learning Objectives: Understand and describe a college-based controlled, randomized trial for tobacco control on college campuses.
Abstract: Objective: To describe an NCI-funded trial of comprehensive tobacco control in 30 four year colleges, and preliminary results of qualitative interviews with students in the colleges.
Methods: Thirty four-year colleges in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, and Idaho) were recruited to participate in a group-randomized, controlled trial to assess the effects of a comprehensive program on tobacco use onset and smoking cessation among college students. Secondary outcomes include progression from occasional to regular tobacco use. Approximately 1000 students from each college will be asked about tobacco use patterns at baseline and at the end of the study. Of those, 500 will be freshman who will be tracked throughout the project to assess smoking onset and movement from occasional to regular smoking. Components of the intervention include liaison with local tobacco coalitions and state health departments, policy changes at the college level, and changes in the student health services. Increased cessation services will be available to students including a telephone line oriented to college students and a web site designed by and for college students.
Results: Qualitative interviews have helped develop a student survey, and provided information on student likes and dislikes regarding cessation services. The telephone quitline has been adapted to college students and the web site has been developed.
Discussion: College students show large increases in tobacco use and few interventions have specifically targeted this group. This comprehensive intervention, designed to change the campus normative environment, may help reduce those rates.
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