Poster Session 3, 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A84]

Smokeless Tobacco Use In Collegiate Baseball Players: Prevalence, Patterns, and Influencing Factors

Presenter: Maxwell Dennis Riordan

Faculty Sponsor: Nicholas Kuhlman

School: Fitchburg State University

Research Area: Public Health and Epidemiology

ABSTRACT

Smokeless tobacco use has long been embedded within baseball culture. National data from 2017 indicate that approximately 28% of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) baseball players reported past-year smokeless tobacco use; however, contemporary prevalence remains unclear. Since then, the nicotine product landscape has evolved, with increased availability and marketing of smokeless tobacco and tobacco-free nicotine products (e.g., nicotine pouches and electronic delivery systems). Despite this shift, limited data exist on current patterns of use and the influences associated with nicotine consumption among collegiate baseball athletes. The purpose is to (1) quantify the prevalence of smokeless tobacco and tobacco-free nicotine product use and (2) examine social, behavioral, and sport-related factors associated with use among NCAA varsity baseball players in the Northeast. This cross-sectional study will recruit NCAA Division I–III baseball athletes (≥18 years) from institutions in the Northeast. Participants will complete an anonymous online questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics, lifetime and past-30-day nicotine use, contextual patterns of use (e.g., during baseball activities vs. social settings), perceived performance effects, and team- and family-related influences. Participation is voluntary; no identifiable information is collected. Descriptive statistics will quantify prevalence and frequency of use. Logistic regression models will examine associations between social/sport-related factors and current nicotine use. It is hypothesized that nicotine use will remain prevalent among collegiate baseball athletes and will be positively associated with perceived team norms, peer use, and role-model exposure. Findings will provide contemporary, region-specific data on nicotine use in collegiate baseball and inform sport-specific prevention and education strategies.