Longitudinal evaluation of a smoking prevention program for adolescents
Paulo D Vitória1, Sílvia A Silva, Hein De Vries
1Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal. pvitoria@fcsaude.ubi.pt
Revista De Saude Publica
|March 18, 2011
Summary
This study evaluated a school-based smoking prevention program for adolescents. The intervention effectively reduced both smoking initiation and regular smoking among participants, highlighting the importance of comprehensive, long-term strategies.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Adolescent Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Adolescent smoking remains a significant public health concern.
- Effective prevention strategies are crucial to mitigate long-term health risks associated with early tobacco use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive, community-integrated smoking prevention program for adolescents.
- To assess the program's impact on smoking initiation and regular smoking behaviors.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal quasi-experimental study (Community Intervention Trial) was conducted in Lisbon, Portugal (1999-2002).
- 1,205 adolescents (average age 13) were assigned to intervention conditions (IC) or control conditions (CC).
- Data collected via questionnaires assessed exposure to prevention activities, psychosocial determinants of smoking, and behavior, analyzed using variance and logistic regression.
Main Results:
- Adolescents in the intervention group (IC) showed better outcomes in psychosocial determinants and behavior compared to the control group (CC).
- At study's end, 41.8% in IC and 53.3% in CC had tried tobacco (OR=0.62).
- Regular smoking rates were 8.0% in IC versus 12.4% in CC (OR=0.59).
Conclusions:
- The evaluated smoking prevention program successfully reduced both the initiation and regular use of tobacco among adolescents.
- Program effectiveness was observed from the second year and improved by the third year.
- Sustained implementation throughout adolescence and integrated school, family, and community measures are key for effective smoking prevention.
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