The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #66449

Sharon Zack, MS¹, Jeffrey A. Hoffman, PhD¹, Susanna Nemes, PhD², Jennifer Weil, MA¹, Lauren Hess, BA², Kelly Munly, MS¹, Heather Levin, Esq¹, and Jenny G. Namur, MPH, CHES³. (1) Danya International Inc, 8737 Colesville Road, Suite 1200, Silver Spring, MD 20910, (2) Danya International, Inc., 8737 Colesville Road, Suite 1200, Silver Spring, MD 20910, (3) Danya International, Inc, 8737 Colesville Road, Suite 1200, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 301-565-2412, JNamur@Danya.com

Current literature continues to challenge researchers to develop and implement an appropriate and effective cessation program for teens. With evidence supporting a decline in tobacco use by youth, there is even more reason to demand research-based and validated programs for youth cessation. Given that people who become addicted to nicotine during adolescence are much more likely to continue smoking as adults and to suffer the devastating health consequences of smoking, greater efforts must be taken to help youth to quit smoking. Danya International Inc., with funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse has developed and implemented a multi-faceted smoking cessation intervention targeting adolescents, Adolescent Smoking Cessation Escaping Nicotine & Tobacco (ASCENT). This program is based on current research findings and involved youth in the development and production process. ASCENT includes a six-session smoking cessation facilitator’s curriculum, a facilitator’s video, a motivational teen video, a pocket diary, teen support website titled Teenquit.com, and a support guide for parents. It is based on contemporary cognitive-behavioral strategies to help teens quit smoking by learning about their tobacco habit. The complete program, including a one-day training package, is available by Hazelden Publishing and Educational Services. This presentation includes the results from an outcome evaluation conducted over the past two years, where data was collected at pre and post intervention, and at three follow-up points, to measure the efficacy of this program when compared with teens in a comparison group.

Learning Objectives:

• At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to understand and describe a school based, controlled, randomized trial for a tobacco cessation program.

Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Adolescent Health

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.