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

Abstract #72591

Susan Billipp, MA¹, Ross Shegog, PhD², Jennifer L. Conroy, DrPH, MPH³, Steven H Kelder, PhD, MPH¹, Nancy G Murray, DrPH, MA², and Alexander V. Prokhorov, MD, PhD³. (1) School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, 7000 Fannin, Houston, TX 77025, 713-500-3678, SBillipp@sph.uth.tmc.edu, (2) Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, UT-Houston School of Public Health, 7000 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, (3) Department of Behavioral Sciences, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, HMB 3.063.11, Houston, TX 77030

Introduction: Effective smoking cessation and prevention interventions are predicated on learners developing a variety of behavioral strategies and understanding when these strategies will be most effective. While this approach is important, teaching these strategies may prove less effective if teens already use these strategies and have positive expectations about them. Using baseline data, we describe teen attitudes on how helpful resistance strategies are for smokers and non-smokers. Methods: A sample of 1447 predominantly minority students (42% males; mean age 15.6 years, 89% nonsmokers, 11% experienced smokers) completed a baseline survey including items asking them to rate the effectiveness of 14 strategies to resist the temptation to smoke (based on content domains from the ASPIRE CD-ROM-based smoking curriculum for teens). Strategies perceived to be most helpful were planning things to do instead of smoking (68%), remembering the reasons not to smoke (67%), and avoiding people, places or things that make you want to smoke (66%). Least helpful strategies were considered to be setting a quit date to stop smoking (33%), meditation (31%), and exercise (26%). Conclusion: Teen attitudes on the effectiveness of resistance strategies indicate the potential of programs like ASPIRE to enhance the strategic repertoire of teens to resist the temptations of smoking.

Learning Objectives:

Learning Objectives: By the end of the session the participant will be able to
• Describe major temptations to smoke among teenagers.
• Describe teen attitudes to strategies to resist smoking temptations.

Keywords: Adolescents, Tobacco

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.