Samantha Murray and Kimberly Bahena, “Kick the Nic: Program Implementation to Reduce Nicotine Usage among UW-Milwaukee Students”
Mentor: Rose Hennessy Garza, Public Health, Public Health (Joseph J. Zilber School of)
Poster #153
Over the past decade we have seen a shift in college students nicotine usage, as cigarette use has been decreasing the use of e-cigarettes/vapes has dramatically increased and students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) use vaping products at double the national average. Nicotine addiction occurs when a person develops a compulsive need to consume nicotine through smoking, vaping, or chewing tobacco. Nicotine use poses serious health risks, including respiratory conditions, cardiovascular diseases, and an increased risk of cancer. This project proposes a hypothetical program to reduce nicotine use among students using evidence-based strategies and a behavioral health theory. The program will be designed and implemented using a modified version of Intervention Mapping. An informal literature review will identify risk and protective factors, along with proven intervention strategies. A selected behavioral health theory will guide the intervention design to maximize its impact. Key components of the program include community engagement, a logic model, and evidence-based strategies. If this program were implemented, engaging students, faculty, and health professionals would be essential for success. By grounding public health initiatives in theory and evidence, we enhance their effectiveness by ensuring that interventions are research-driven. Future efforts to reduce campus nicotine use should prioritize community involvement, structured planning models, and consideration of existing barriers to improve outreach and program effectiveness. By addressing student nicotine use, this hypothetical program implementation could improve students’ health and contribute to creating a healthier campus environment.