Recorded presentation

James H. Price, PhD, MPH¹, Joseph A. Dake, PhD, MPH², and Timothy Jordan, PhD, MEd¹. (1) Department of Public Health, University of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft, Toledo, OH 43606, (419)530-4180, jprice@utnet.utoledo.edu, (2) Division of Health, Wayne State University, 262 Matthaei Bldg., Detroit, MI 48202

Objective: To design a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess a community’s level of support for controlling tobacco (Social Will for Tobacco Control). Methods: A series of five mutually exclusive samples were obtained to test the 14-item closed format questionnaire at different stages of development. To establish content validity, a panel (n=5) of published experts in tobacco survey research reviewed the instrument. A pilot sample (n=7) was used to assess acceptability and readability of the instrument. A convenience sample (n=35) was used to assess test-retest reliability. A random sample of voters from two communities (n=756) were contacted through phone a phone survey to establish construct validity and internal reliability. Finally, to establish sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, 70 participants known to be either supportive or against local clean indoor air acts were surveyed. Results: Reading level of the instrument was 7th grade. Principal components analysis of the 14 items identified two factors (11 items/personal support; 3 items/ agency support) and each had acceptable internal reliability (á=0.90 and 0.41, respectively) and test-retest reliability (r=0.84 and 0.77, respectively). Sensitivity (94%), specificity (91%), and accuracy (92%) of the index were robust indicators of the quality of the index. Supporters of clean indoor air acts had mean scores of 37.3 (SD=7.6) compared to opposers (M=12.0, SD=7.0) out of a possible range of 0-49. Conclusion: Use of such an instrument may help policy makers predict the level of community support for greater control of tobacco, including support for clean indoor air ordinances.

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