Outcome evaluation of a high school smoking reduction intervention based on extracurricular activities.
BACKGROUND
An outcome evaluation of a high school tobacco control intervention using extracurricular activities developed by teachers and students is reported.


METHODS
Eligible subjects (n = 3,028) had participated in a randomized trial of an elementary school smoking prevention curriculum. Their high schools were matched in pairs; one school in each pair was randomly assigned to the intervention condition, the second to a "usual-care" control condition. Data were collected at the end of Grades 9 and 10.


RESULTS
For Grade 8 never smokers, regular smoking rates were significantly lower for males from intervention schools (9.8 vs 16.2%, P = 0.02) at the end of Grade 10. There were no significant differences among Grade 10 smoking rates for females, or for students of either gender with previous smoking experience in Grade 8.


CONCLUSIONS
The extracurricular activities approach to tobacco control is practical to implement and has promise.
Brown
K Stephen
KS
Health Behaviour Research Group, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. ksbrown@icarus.uwaterloo.ca
Cameron
Roy
R
Madill
Cheryl
C
Payne
M Elizabeth
ME
Filsinger
Stephanie
S
Manske
Stephen R
SR
Best
J Allan
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003256:Community Participation; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention