Survey of Wisconsin Renters: Smoking Rules, Attitudes & Preferences

Transcription

1 Report > May 2012 Joseph Cera Survey Center Manager Researcher Lilana Guillermo Undergraduate Research Assistant Peter Maier Acting Center Director Associate Scientist Survey of Wisconsin Renters: Smoking Rules, Attitudes & Preferences This document reports on responses to a statewide survey of renters regarding smoking rules in rental properties and attitudes and preferences about smoking rules. The UWM Center for Urban Initiatives and Research conducted a random digit dial (RDD) telephone survey of 407 adult Wisconsin residents who rent their places of residence between March 12 April 10, The sampling margin of error is ±4.9% at the 95% confidence level. Types of Rental Units Table 1 shows that almost half of the respondents lived in buildings with four or more units. However, a large percentage (30%) reported living in single unit rentals, presumably renters of single family homes, and therefore second hand smoke issues are irrelevant to a large subset of the sample. Table 1. Number of Rental Units in Respondent s Building 1 unit units units or more units Total Smoking Rules in Units and Common Areas A slight majority of respondents indicated smoking was allowed in their rental units (Table 2). Respondents living in rental housing with four or more units were asked whether smoking was allowed in common areas; about 35% indicated it was allowed. Applied Research Technical Assistance Community Initiatives Phone: Fax: Web: cuir.uwm.edu Table 2. Rental Residence Smoking Rules Smoking Allowed in Rental Unit Smoking Allowed in Common Areas Percent Percent No Yes Number of Cases Survey of Wisconsin Renters: Smoking Rules, Attitudes & Preferences

2 Smoking within rental units is allowed more frequently in buildings with four or more units (58%), and less frequently in buildings with a single unit (46%). Smoking Rules and smoking practices Based on responses to a series of questions on smoking practices, respondents were ascribed one of four types of smoking status: s smoke cigarettes every day s smoke on some days s smoked at least 100 cigarettes in past, do not smoke at present s Neither smoke presently, nor have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in the past. The distribution of smoking status is shown in Table 3. About 21% of non smokers reside with a smoker. Table 3. Respondent Smoking Status % % % % No Answer 6 1.5% Number of Cases % Table 4 shows that smoking status is related to rules about smoking in rental units. About 69% of regular smokers live in rental housing where smoking is allowed, while only 40% of nonsmokers live in rental housing where smoking is allowed. smokers and former smokers lie in between these two extremes. These data suggest that smoking habits may play a role in determining where people choose to rent. Table 4. Rules about Smoking in Unit, by Smoking Status Smoking not allowed 30.8% 47.8% 41.0% 59.9% Smoking is allowed 69.2% 52.2% 59.0% 40.1% Number of Cases Of the 214 respondents whose landlords allow smoking in individual units, more than half (57%) said they never permit smoking in their individual units. Predictably, as Table 5 shows, smokers were dramatically more likely to always or sometimes allow smoking in their units, while former smokers and non smokers were very likely to report that they never allow smoking in their homes. Still, more than one third of regular smokers never allow smoking in their rental unit. Survey of Wisconsin Renters: Smoking Rules, Attitudes & Preferences May

3 Table 5. Respondent Rules for Smoking in Rental Unit by Smoking Status Never 19.0% 25.0% 75.8% 76.7% Sometimes 17.5% 33.3% 12.9% 16.4% Always 63.5% 41.7% 11.3% 6.8% Number of Cases In rental units where smoking is allowed, households with children were significantly less likely to allow smoking than households without children (Table 6). Among regular smokers with children in the household, only 35% banned smoking in their rental unit (but only 20 smokers met the conditions of both living where smoking is allowed, and having children under age 18 in their household). Table 6. Respondent Rules for Smoking in Rental Unit by Presence of Children in Household No Children In Household Children In Household Never 51.2% 65.8% Sometimes 15.6% 17.7% Always 33.3% 16.5% Number of Cases Tables 7 and 8 relate to respondents living in rental units where smoking is not allowed. These respondents were asked how concerned they would be if smoking was allowed. Table 7 shows that nearly half of those living in multi unit rental housing would be very concerned if their landlord changed the rules to allow smoking in their buildings. The level of concern is significantly higher among former smokers and non smokers (Table 8). Table 7. Level of Concern if Smoking Was Allowed (Renters in Buildings with Two or More Units) Very concerned Somewhat concerned Not very concerned Not at all concerned Number of Cases Survey of Wisconsin Renters: Smoking Rules, Attitudes & Preferences May

4 Table 8. Level of Concern if Smoking Was Allowed, by Smoking Status Very concerned 5.9% 33.3% 48.1% 57.1% Somewhat concerned 23.5% 16.7% 25.9% 30.0% Not very concerned 5.9% 16.7% 7.4% 10.0% Not at all concerned 64.7% 33.3% 18.5% 2.9% Number of Cases Tables 9 and 10 relate to respondents living in rental units where smoking is allowed. Of the 93 renters who allow smoking at least sometimes within their individual rental units, a clear majority (65%) indicated that being allowed to smoke in their units was either very or somewhat important to them (Table 9). Although regular smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to view allowance to smoke as very important, the difference is not significant (Table 10) Table 9. Importance of Smoking in Rental Unit Very important Somewhat important Not very important Not at all important Don t Know Number of Cases Table 10. Importance of Smoking in Rental Unit, by Smoking Status Very important 52.0% 44.4% 33.3% 41.2% Somewhat important 26.0% 22.2% 6.7% 5.9% Not very important 18.0% 22.2% 33.3% 23.5% Not at all important 4.0% 11.1% 26.7% 29.4% Number of Cases For respondents: 1)Living in rental housing where smoking is allowed, but 2) never permit it within their own unit, nearly three quarters (73%) would prefer to live where smoking is not allowed. Close to all non smokers would prefer to live in buildings where smoking is not allowed (Table 11). A smaller majority of former smokers would prefer to live where smoking is not allowed. The number of smokers who both live where smoking is allowed but never permit it within their own unit, it quite small. Table 11. Preference for Rental Housing with No Smoking, by Status Would Prefer Smoking Housing 45.5% 66.7% 60.0% 89.8% (n=5) (n=2) (n=24) (n=44) Survey of Wisconsin Renters: Smoking Rules, Attitudes & Preferences May

5 Concern over Second-Hand Smoke smokers and former smokers who: 1) Live in multi unit buildings where smoking is allowed, but 2) never permit it within their own units, were asked about their level of concern over exposure to second hand smoke from other units in their building; 57% expressed concern. Nonsmokers expressed significantly more concern about second hand smoke from other units than former smokers (Table 12). Of the renters concerned about second hand smoke from other units (n=58), about 32% indicated they had expressed their concerns to the landlord. Table 12. Concern about Second Hand Smoke from Other Units, by Smoking Status Not concerned 54.3% 33.9% Concerned 45.7% 66.1% Number of Cases Among all respondents with an opinion (n=390), 93% agree second hand smoke is harmful to people s health. Beliefs regarding the harm caused by second hand smoke vary by smoker status (Table 13), but even 82% of regular smokers believe second hand smoke is harmful. Table 13. Belief that Second Hand Smoke is Harmful to People s Health, by Status Second Hand Smoke IS NOT Harmful 18.1% 5.0% 6.9% 2.2% Second Hand Smoke IS Harmful 81.9% 95.0% 93.1% 97.8% Number of Cases Survey of Wisconsin Renters: Smoking Rules, Attitudes & Preferences May

6 Demographics Note: Gender and age are generally unrelated to attitudes and preferences. Respondent Gender Frequency Percent Male Female Total Respondent Age Frequency Percent % % % % Total % Gender by Smoking Status Smoking Status Male 56.0% 56.5% 32.4% 39.6% Female 44.0% 43.5% 67.6% 60.4% Respondent Age by Smoking Status Smoking Status % 43.5% 9.6% 36.5% % 21.7% 31.7% 21.3% % 34.8% 22.1% 19.1% %.0% 36.5% 23.0% Survey of Wisconsin Renters: Smoking Rules, Attitudes & Preferences May