Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109170

Gretchen M. Simmons, MPH and Lela N. Baughman, MSW. ORC Macro, 3 Corporate Square NE, Suite 370, Atlanta, GA 30329, 404-321-3211, gretchen.m.simmons@orcmacro.com

In 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) and Epidemiology Program Office (EPO) convened workshops in six states to present the science underlying effective interventions for building a comprehensive tobacco control program. CDC contracted with ORC Macro to prepare and disseminate workshop materials, evaluate the workshops, and conduct a long-term follow-up assessment. The overall goals of the evaluation were to assess the effects of the workshops on 1) improving participants' awareness and knowledge of tobacco control interventions, 2) informing decisions about the adoption of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services' findings, and 3) improving policy and practice through implementation of recommended interventions. Participants completed a written questionnaire before and after the workshop. Results showed significant increases in self-reported knowledge about evidence-based interventions. Between January and March 2004, informal telephone discussion groups were conducted among participants from four of the states that co-sponsored the workshops. A thematic content analysis was used to explore the extent to which evidence-based interventions were being used by tobacco control programs, the utility of the Community Guide in promoting the use of evidence-based interventions, and the use of workshops as a method to promote and facilitate use of the Community Guide. Overall, the results suggest that the workshops were effective in promoting awareness of the Community Guide findings. They also illustrate challenges faced in implementing recommendations.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• List challenges faced by study participants in adapting "Best Science" (e.g., implementing interventions with proven effectiveness) to real-world environments.
• Describe two key lessons learned from the evaluation of the state tobacco control workshops.

Keywords: Tobacco Control, Evaluation

Related Web page: www.thecommunityguide.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.