Community tobacco control initiatives are dependent for success on collaborative efforts among community opinion leaders and tobacco program representatives. Baseline data collected in East Texas for the Texas Tobacco Prevention Initiative compared program coordinator and opinion leader views towards local tobacco attitudes/practices. A stratified sample of 218 key leaders (73% response rate) including representatives from government, business, education, health, youth and ethnic organizations. The telephone survey was based on earlier California questionnaires modified for Texas. 161 coordinators of TDH-funded community tobacco programs (60% response rate) completed written surveys with similar questions. Views were compared of community priorities, community support/opposition, effectiveness of current programs, and coalition existence and impact. Almost half of each group stated that youth prevention was the highest community priority, followed by cessation (approximately 35%). Opinion leaders more frequently perceived: 1) public protection from ETS and elimination of disparities as community priorities 2) stronger community support for tobacco reduction among youth 3) more local opposition. Few community leaders (22%) noted local initiatives as extremely/very effective, in contrast to opinion leaders (49%). More program coordinators reported organizational representation on local coalitions (73%) than did opinion leaders (32%). Coordinators reported very high levels of coalition impact in youth prevention (49%), followed by cessation motivation for youth/adults (32%). In contrast, few opinion leaders noted high coalition impact in these areas (11% and 1%, respectively). Few (<15%) of either group noted high coalition effectiveness for ETS protection or disparity elimination. Strategies will be discussed for increasing communications among groups and strengthening coalitions.
Learning Objectives: "At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to: 1) Identify similarities and differences in view of local tobacco attitudes and practices among opinion leaders and the program coordinators. 2)Discuss strategies for maximizing collaborations through enhanced communication across community groups."
Keywords: Coalition, Tobacco Control
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.