A tobacco-free service-learning pilot project

Area of Science:

• Community Health Nursing
• Pediatric Health Education
• Tobacco Prevention Programs

Background:

• Selected elementary school serves a population with high poverty, health disparities, and single-parent households.
• Collaboration between a university school of nursing and a local elementary school.
• Identified need for targeted health education in an underserved community.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a tobacco-use education program for elementary school students.
• To assess the impact of nursing student-led health education on student learning.
• To offer smoking cessation support to parents within the school community.

Main Methods:

• Eighteen nursing students delivered the "Tar Wars" curriculum to 4th and 5th graders.
• Age-appropriate tobacco prevention strategies were used for pre-kindergarten through 3rd grade.
• A school-wide poster contest reinforced learned content; a smoking cessation program was offered to parents.

Main Results:

• 100% of 4th and 5th graders achieved learning objectives.
• 415 students participated in the poster contest.
• 10 parents enrolled in the smoking cessation program; 20% completed it, and 10% remained tobacco-free.

Conclusions:

• The service-learning project successfully imparted tobacco-use knowledge to elementary students.
• The initiative demonstrated positive engagement from both students and nursing students.
• Parental engagement in smoking cessation showed some success, indicating potential for broader community impact.