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Description
Hannah Voit and Jessica Kulak, HEW 495: College Health and E-Cigarettes
Faculty Mentor: Professor Jessica Kulak, Health, Nutrition, & Dietetics
Introduction: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), or vaping, have become an epidemic in the United States. One of the most common medical facilities for college students to use is the health center on campus. This study aimed to examine the knowledge and confidence of college healthcare providers regarding vaping among college students. Methods: Pilot data was collected within the State University of New York (SUNY) system; 51 college health providers responded, located at 26 colleges in the 64-campus system. The survey assessed demographics, training, and previous e-cigarette exposure or experience, both personal (e.g., personal use of the products) and professional (e.g., participation in trainings). Knowledge of vaping was assessed using several items, including, “Are you confident in relaying the message of your training to your patient/student population?” Response options ranged from “very confident” to “not at all confident,” and included a don’t know option. Results: Half (52%) of the health providers reported “no” to participating in training or educational activities related to e-cigarettes. Despite this, participants indicated that they are “very confident” in relaying messages regarding e-cigarettes to patients/students (23%) and to faculty/staff members (13%). Conclusion: Overall, the knowledge being shared about vaping between college healthcare providers and students varies. These findings indicate opportunities for interventions. Proper education on e-cigarettes could allow a universal understanding of vaping for the college community. Future research is needed to enhance the understanding of the knowledge and confidence of healthcare providers in regards to vaping.
Publication Date
2020
Recommended Citation
Voit, Hannah and Kulak, Jessica, "E-Cigarette Knowledge Among College Healthcare Providers" (2020). Health and Social Work. 22nd Annual Student Research and Creativity Conference. SUNY Buffalo State.
https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/srcc-sp20-hlthsw/17
