Elsevier

Preventive Medicine

Volume 26, Issue 3, May 1997, Pages 389-394
Preventive Medicine

Regular Article
Long-Term Responses of Higher and Lower Risk Youths to Smoking Prevention Interventions

https://doi.org/10.1006/pmed.1997.0159Get rights and content

Abstract

Background.Adolescents at risk for cigarette smoking are difficult to reach with conventional interventions but have substantial exposure to the mass media. This study is the first to show that smoking prevention messages presented through the mass media can have large and durable effects on higher risk adolescents.

Methods.Students in two communities received media and school interventions beginning in grades 5–7; those in matched comparison communities received school interventions. Media interventions were targeted to higher risk youths. School surveys were conducted before and after the interventions, in grades 4–6 and grades 8–10. Two years after interventions ended, when participants were in grades 10–12, school and telephone surveys were conducted to assess smoking status. Survey participants (n= 2,860) were classified at baseline as having higher or lower risk for becoming a smoker.

Results.Smoking prevalence within the higher risk sample was significantly lower for those receiving media–school interventions than for those receiving school interventions only (odds ratio = 0.71). Effects on the lower risk sample were similar in magnitude but marginally significant.

Conclusions.Mass media and school interventions achieved lower smoking rates among higher risk youngsters 2 years following completion of the interventions. This strategy represents a uniquely effective method for communicating with a high-priority group.

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This study was supported by Research Grants CA38395 and CA22435 awarded by the National Cancer Institute.

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To whom correspondence and reprint requests should be addressed at the Office of Health Promotion Research, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, One South Prospect, Burlington, VT 05401. Fax: (802) 656-8826. E-mail [email protected].

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