Testing effects of awareness of statewide smoke-free air law and risk perception on smoking behaviors
ISSN: 0965-4283
Article publication date: 14 January 2021
Issue publication date: 1 February 2021
Abstract
Purpose
To reduce the smoking rates and alleviate societal problems associated with smoking, health administrators and policy makers have attempted to promote and implement statewide smoking free policy. The present study examined how adults' awareness of and attitude toward the smoke-free air law, their perceived risks of secondhand smoke and current smoking status were associated with smoking attitude and behaviors.
Design/methodology/approach
As part of the Indiana Adult Tobacco Survey, 2,027 respondents participated in cross-sectional telephone surveys. A series of independent sample t-test and binary logistic regression analyses were performed.
Findings
Awareness of the state law was inversely related to negative attitude toward smoking behaviors. Individuals who reported favorable attitude toward the state smoke-free air law and higher risk perceptions of secondhand smoke showed negative attitude toward smoking behaviors. Non-smokers and former smokers were significantly different from current smokers with regard to attitude toward smoking. Negative attitude was significantly related to intention to quit smoking. Awareness of the state law, perceived risk and current smoking status were key determinants for anti-smoking attitude and behavior.
Originality/value
Findings highlight the importance of effective dissemination of the state law and recommend a strategic intervention design that invokes risk perceptions of secondhand smoke.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by grant from the Indiana State Department of Health to Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (A70-3-198083/61910-0-4003610101500 TPCC-200-100: Tamara Leach, Principal Investigator). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Indiana State Department of Health.
Citation
Shin, Y. and Johnson, N.L. (2021), "Testing effects of awareness of statewide smoke-free air law and risk perception on smoking behaviors", Health Education, Vol. 121 No. 2, pp. 189-199. https://doi.org/10.1108/HE-09-2020-0088
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited