| Popis: |
Objectives Effective policies are an important tool for reducing tobacco use. We examine student perceptions of the existing no-smoking policy in the country’s largest national university and identify perceived barriers to its implementation. We explore student support for a 100% tobacco-free campus policy.Design We conducted a cross-sectional survey using a self-administered on-line questionnaire.Setting This study was conducted at Qatar University (QU), the largest national institution of higher education in Qatar.Participants A total of 199 students participated out of a stratified random sample of students aged ≥18 years with active registration in the Spring 2020 semester.Primary and secondary outcome measures We assessed students’ knowledge of and attitudes towards QU’s current no-smoking policy, the perceived barriers to its implementation, and support for a 100% tobacco-free policy.Results Only 26% (95% CI 19.97 to 32.03) and 16.6% (95% CI 11.70 to 22.49) of respondents correctly identified the current policy on traditional and electronic cigarettes, respectively. Less than 30% of respondents held positive attitudes towards policy enforcement, and more male respondents reported positive attitudes towards compliance than women. Support for a 100% tobacco-free policy was at 77.2%, but it was significantly lower among tobacco users compared with non-users (35.9% and 91.8%, respectively; p |
