Factors Affecting High School Baseball Coaches’ Enforcement of School Tobacco Policy

Abstract

In spite of policy bans and recommendations against spit tobacco (ST) use, baseball athletes have demonstrated ST prevalence rates ranging from 34% to 50% in high school, 42% in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and 50% in the professional ranks. To evaluate enforcement of ST bans, high school baseball coaches in North Carolina (N = 93) completed a survey about ST attitudes, behaviors, and intentions to use and enforce tobacco use policies. Findings revealed that coaches who were current ST users, considered ST pleasant, did not value health impacts, and stated the baseball environment influenced their ST use were less likely to enforce school ST policy with their players.

KEYWORDS::

• baseball
• coaches
• policy enforcement
• spit tobacco