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Effectiveness of a School‐Based Intervention at Changing Preadolescents' Tobacco Use and Attitudes
Author(s) -
VanDyke Esther M.,
Riesenberg Lee Ann
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2002.tb07332.x
Subject(s) - intervention (counseling) , medicine , tobacco use , psychological intervention , population , environmental health , family medicine , nursing
This study evaluated the effectiveness of a tobacco intervention on preadolescents' tobacco use and attitudes. A tobacco assessment questionnaire was distributed to seventh‐grade students in May 1997 (N = 229) and 1999 (N = 230). During the 1998–1999 academic year, sixth‐grade students at the intervention school received a tobacco intervention. Though not statistically significant the number of smokers at the intervention school decreased from 43.2% to 31.1% after the intervention (p = .09). These students predicted less smoking in five years (29.6% to 19.8%, p = .078) and 20 years (28.4% to 13.2%, p = .004). Because of the difficulty in reducing smoking rates at the population level, the nonsignificant results can be viewed as a success rather than a setback. When faced with increasing use trends, an intervention can at least hope to achieve a decrease or slow the rate of growth, and the program succeeded in that respect. School‐based interventions can effectively influence preadolescent' attitudes concerning tobacco use. Future programs should begin earlier and be reinforced yearly.