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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Yelena Bird, MD, MPH¹, J. Moraros, MD, MPH, CHES¹, Larry K. Olsen, DrPH, CHES¹, Hugo Staines-Orozco, MD², and Robert W. Buckingham, Dr PH¹. (1) Department of Health Sciences, MSC 3HLS, New Mexico State University, P.O. Box 30001, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001, (505) 646-4309, yelenabird@yahoo.com, (2) Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Dean of Medicine, Anillo Envolvente del PRONAF y Estocolmo, Juarez, 32310, Mexico

Background: Easy access to tobacco products in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, has led to an increase in tobacco use by youth in that city.

Significance: This study represents the seminal work designed to involve parents in tobacco policy setting for middle school settings in Juárez.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine parental perceptions of the role schools and parents should play in implementing smoking prevention, cessation, and anti-tobacco policy programs in middle schools in Juárez.

Methods: A special parental survey instrument was designed and pretested and sent to 506 homes of sixth grade students from six randomly selected middle schools. Schools were classified by school setting (i.e., public vs. private) and socioeconomic status (SES) (i.e., low, middle and high). A total of 506 surveys were sent to the homes of the parents.

Findings: There was a 77% (N=390) response rate. The majority (88%) were supportive of smoking prevention activities. Mothers were significantly more likely than fathers to agree that the school had a role in smoking prevention activities (p<0.01). Parents of students in the low SES schools were significantly more likely to support the implementation of stronger anti-tobacco school policies than those of students in other SES settings (p<0.01). Approximately 70% of the respondents agreed that schools should not provide nicotine gum or patches for students trying to quit smoking.

Conclusions: Parents in Juárez supported the seven main CDC recommendations for school health programs to prevent tobacco use and addiction, and were willing to participate in this process.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will describe the differences in parental perceptions of their roles in policy decision based upon the SES level of the school their children attend.
• Participants will describe the factors that appear to be most related to parental involvement in tobacco policy decisions in middle schools in Juárez, Mexico.

Keywords: Tobacco Policy, School Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered