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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Ching-Mei Lee, PhD & CHES, Hsiang-Ru Lai, PhD, I-Chyum Chiang, PhD, Hsing-Jung Liao, MEd, and Wen-Jau Chen, LB. Department of Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, 162, Sec. 1, East Ho-Ping Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan, 886-2-23657907 Ext 232, t09007@cc.ntnu.edu.tw
Introduction THE SHINING YEARS was a substance abuse prevention program for the general adolescents in Taiwan. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
Methods Three schools in Taipei City were selected, with one being experimental school and two being control schools. In the spring of 2001, sixty-four students participated a ten-session, ten-hour curriculum (a booster session), with 205 students being the control groups. The ten units were: (1) drug use and abuse, (2) the consequences of substance abuse, (3) self-esteem, (4) assertiveness, (5) decision-making, (6) effective communication, (7) refusal skills, (8) stress management, (9) goal setting, and (10) advertisement analysis and law enforcement.
Results The lifetime prevalence of substance use among the student respondents were smoking 16.5%, drinking 32.2%, betelnut chewing 2.2%, and drug using 0.7%, respectively. The experiment group showed significant more increases in the knowledge regarding substance abuse, attitudes toward substance abuse, and refusal skills, and less later smoking behavior than did the control groups. Most student respondents reported that they felt the program were interesting and helpful.
Discussion The program worked with the youth among whom the prevalence of substance use was relatively low. However, the program did lead to significant positive changes in substance abuse knowledge and attitudes and refusal skills, and most students felt that the program were helpful.
Key Words: Adolescent, Substance Abuse, Education, Prevention
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Adolescents, Substance Abuse
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.