Description: The Research to Classroom Project (RTC) identifies curricula with credible evidence of effectiveness in reducing health risk behaviors among school-age youth, and provides resources to make curricula available nationwide. In 1993, CDC initially began RTC with programs to prevent sexual risk behaviors associated with HIV, STDs, and unintended pregnancies, and recently has expanded the project to examine school-based programs in tobacco use prevention.
Methods: Major documents, published between 1980 and 1995, reported school-based tobacco prevention programs that reduced or delayed the onset of adolescent tobacco use within a variety of populations and settings. CDC reviewed these programs, using criteria that included: (1) positive findings of a risk-reduction change (e.g. delayed onset or reduced prevalence of tobacco use) as a result of exposure to the curriculum; (2) use of a condition and control group; (3) a curricula consistent with CDC’s "Guidelines for School Health Programs to Prevent Tobacco Use and Addiction;" and (4) a 3-month minimum follow-up measure. Two external panels in the field of health-related behavioral research and health education program implementation reviewed the programs and made recommendations about nation-wide dissemination.
Results: CDC has selected four curricula for dissemination, initiated a process for nationwide promotion of the programs, and developed a program-specific training component.
Conclusions: RTC enables state, district, and local school systems to offer programs with credible evidence of effectiveness that reduce health risk behaviors among adolescents.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to: (1) articulate the research to classroom selection process; (2) identify and describe the four tobacco prevention curricula with credible evidence of effectiveness
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Tobacco
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.