Chung-won Lee, PhDOffice on Smoking and Health, CDC

Luana Ritch, PhDBureau of Community Health, Nevada State Health Division

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Assessment of Tobacco-Free Policies in Nevada School Districts, 2004

National Conference on Tobacco or HealthMay, 2005

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Overview

Background Study Objectives Data Methods Findings Summary Recommendations

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The 2003 rescission of a preemptive ban on Nevada’s school districts prohibiting smoking policies

Model tobacco-free policies for school districts available

Baseline information needed for policy congruence and disparity

Background

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Background—continuedPrevalence of Tobacco Use among Youth*, US & Nevada, 2003

* Grades 9-12** Data Source: 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, CDC

23.2%19.6%

7.2%3.6%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

current cigarette use current smokeless tobacco use

US (Median) Nevada

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Background—continuedPrevalence of Tobacco Use among Adults, US & Nevada, 2003

* Data Source: 2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, CDC

22.1% 20.3%25.2%

21.3%24.8%

29.0%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

all men women

US (Median) Nevada

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Study Objectives

To assess the current status of tobacco-free policies in Nevada’s school districts

To identify areas where Nevada school districts’ tobacco-free policies show challenges

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Data and Methods

Mail and telephone follow-up survey of Nevada’s 17 school districts (June-August 2004)

SHPPS questionnaire on district level(http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/shpps) – School policy and environment component

– custom questions added

Descriptive statistics used for analysis

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Definition

Tobacco-Free Environment

– If the state, district, or school has a policy prohibiting cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoking, and smokeless tobacco use by students, faculty, staff, and visitors

– The policy prohibits tobacco use in school buildings, on school grounds, in school buses or other vehicles used to transport students, and at off-campus, school-sponsored events

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FINDINGS

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Percent of School Districts with Comprehensive Tobacco-Free Policy: US(2000) vs. Nevada(2004)

* All school districts were surveyed. Thus, no error bars.

29.4%

45.5%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

US Nevada*

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Percent of School Districts with Polices on Students’ Cigarette Use: US(2000) vs. Nevada(2004)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

students:cigarette-general

students:cigarette-

schoolbuildings

students:cigarette-

schoolgrounds

students:cigarette-

school buses

students:cigarette-off-

campusevents

US Nevada

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Percent of School Districts with Polices on Staff’s Cigarette Use: US(2000) vs. Nevada(2004)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

staff:cigarette-

during schactivity

staff:cigarette-

schoolbuildings

staff:cigarette-

schoolgrounds

staff:cigarette-

schoolbuses

staff:cigarette-off-

campusevents

US Nevada

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Percent of School Districts with Polices on Visitors’ Cigarette Use: US(2000) vs. Nevada(2004)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

visitors:cigarette-general

visitors:cigarette-

schoolbuildings

visitors:cigarette-

schoolgrounds

visitors:cigarette-

schoolbuses

visitors:cigarette-off-

campusevents

US Nevada

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Percent of School Districts with Polices on Cigar/Pipe Use: US(2000) vs. Nevada(2004)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

students: cigar/pipe staff: cigar/pipe visitors: cigar/pipe

US Nevada

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Percent of School Districts with Polices on Students’ Smokeless Tobacco Use: US(2000) vs. Nevada(2004)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

students:smokeless-

general

students:smokeless-

schoolbuildings

students:smokeless-

schoolgrounds

students:smokeless-

schoolbuses

students:smokeless-off-campus

events

US Nevada

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Percent of School Districts with Polices on Staff’s Smokeless Tobacco Use: US(2000) vs. Nevada(2004)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

staff:smokeless-

general

staff:smokeless-

schoolbuildings

staff:smokeless-

schoolgrounds

staff:smokeless-

schoolbuses

staff:smokeless-off-campus

events

US Nevada

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Percent of School Districts with Polices on Visitors’ Smokeless Tobacco Use: US(2000) vs. Nevada(2004)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

visitors:smokeless-

general

visitors:smokeless-

schoolbuildings

visitors:smokeless-

schoolgrounds

visitors:smokeless-

school buses

visitors:smokeless-off-campus

events

US Nevada

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Nevada School Districts:Model Tobacco-Free Policies

17.6%

76.5%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Dist provided model policies ontobacco use prevention to schools

Dist desires to design/adopt model policies

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Most districts have policies in place for cigarette use

For all tobacco products, more policies in place for students than for staff or visitors

High interests by school districts on tobacco-free policies

Areas that need improvement– Policies on cigarette use by staff and visitors

– Policies on tobacco use outside school buildings

– Policies on cigar/pipe & smokeless tobacco

Summary

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Develop a plan for technical assistance for school districts

– Visibility for tobacco-free policies

– Provide model policies for schools and follow-up on implementation

– Monitor the progress of tobacco-use policy in school districts over time

– Create incentives for school districts

– Share lessons learned with stakeholders

Recommendations

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Nevada— Division of Health

Charlene HearstRichard Whitely

— Dept. of EducationMike Fitzgerald

— Nevada Association of School Superintendents

CDC— Office on Smoking and Health

Deborah BorbelyDon ComptonRalph Caraballo

— Division of Adolescent and School Health

Jane PritzlLinda Rossett

Acknowledgment

Chung-won Lee, PhDOffice on Smoking and Health, CDC

Luana Ritch, PhDBureau of Community Health, Nevada State Health Division

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Assessment of Tobacco-Free Policies in Nevada School Districts, 2004

National Conference on Tobacco or HealthMay, 2005