title: The North Carolina Youth Empowerment Study (NCYES): a participatory research study examining the impact of youth empowerment for tobacco use prevention.
abstract: This article describes the North Carolina Youth Empowerment Study (NC YES), a 3-year participatory evaluation of youth programs addressing tobacco use prevention. The study goals of NC YES were to (1) convene an advisory board comprised of lay youths and adults in a participatory research process, (2) document the characteristics of youth programs for tobacco use prevention and control in North Carolina, and (3) track the role of youth involvement in initiating and implementing 100% tobacco-free policies in local school districts. The NC YES Statewide Advisory Board helped guide the evaluation process, reviewed study protocols and data collection instruments, and helped interpret preliminary findings. Both quantitative and qualitative methods(e.g., telephone interviews and written questionnaires) were used to gather data from youth and adult leaders to achieve these aims. Lessons learned about the process of conducting participatory evaluation approaches and summary findings about the role of youths in policy advocacy efforts are presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, Chapel Hill 27599-7440, USA. kurt_ribisl@unc.edu
authors.forename: Kurt M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ribisl
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steckler
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Linnan
authors.forename: Carol C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Eric S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Pevzner
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Markatos
authors.forename: Adam O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McGloin
authors.forename: Arlana Bobo
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Peterson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D026683:Advisory Committees / Q000458:organization & administration; D018672:Community Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003256:Community Participation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011049:Social Control Policies; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000517:prevention & control