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

Abstract #72580

Alexander V. Prokhorov, MD, PhD¹, Steven H Kelder, PhD, MPH², Jennifer L. Conroy, DrPH, MPH¹, Ross Shegog, PhD³, Nancy G Murray, DrPH, MA³, and Carl de Moor, PhD¹. (1) Department of Behavioral Sciences, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, HMB 3.063.11, Houston, TX 77030, 713-745-2382, aprokhor@mail.mdanderson.org, (2) School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, 7000 Fannin, Suite 2658, Houston, TX 77030, (3) Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, UT-Houston School of Public Health, 7000 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030

Project ASPIRE was designed to promote smoking prevention and cessation among adolescents via a CD-ROM-based classroom curriculum. One of the study goals is to equip students with knowledge and skills to assist people in their social environment to quit smoking. A sample of 1447 predominantly minority students (42% males; mean age 15.6 years) completed the baseline survey comprising items about their experience and perceived barriers in persuading smokers to quit. Because smokers and quitters represented only 11% of the sample, we present data on nonsmokers only. Overall, 43% of the respondents reported ever helping someone to quit. On average, these respondents helped 2.4 smokers, and 31% indicated that the assistance resulted in quitting. The highest percentage of students (42%) reported assisting their friends; about one-fifth assisted their parents; while the lowest percentage (2%) assisted their teachers. The majority of students helped smokers by offering facts and information about smoking hazards (47%), or by discussing pros and cons of smoking (43%). The most frequent barriers to offering help in quitting were, “It won’t help” (38%) and “It makes them mad” (23%). Only 6% indicated that they could lose their friends if they offered assistance. Interesting gender-specific differences in quit-smoking activities and associated beliefs were revealed. The ASPIRE smoking prevention and cessation curriculum includes a strong component aimed at promoting advocacy. The follow-up surveys will demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of engaging high school students in smoking prevention and cessation activities among smokers in their social environment.

Learning Objectives:

Educational goals: 1). To indicate the need for persuading adolescents to help people in their social environment to quit smoking
• To suggest approaches and methods for training adolescent in such activities.

Keywords: Tobacco, Prevention

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.