Use of interactive health communication to affect smoking intentions in middle school students: a pilot test of the "Headbutt" risk assessment program.
OBJECTIVE
Developing and disseminating innovative and effective approaches for smoking prevention among middle school children remains a public health priority. This pilot study evaluates the use of a Web-based tobacco prevention program, Headbutt, to change intentions of middle school children to smoke tobacco.


METHODS
Headbutt was implemented with the use of a single-group pretest-posttest study design in sixth grade classes of nine middle schools in Texas (student n = 2227). The program assesses cognitive determinants of smoking and provides intervention feedback tailored to the child's responses.


RESULTS
Headbutt significantly affected smoking intentions, prosmoking attitudes, self-efficacy expectations, and knowledge of negative consequences (all p < or = .001) measured with scales adopted from the Texas Tobacco Initiative Survey. Change in prosmoking attitudes had the greatest predictive effect on smoking intentions (p < .001). These results were moderated by ethnicity and age of students.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings need to be interpreted in the light of study design limitations. However, strong associations between the Headbutt program and intention change suggests that a more rigorous effectiveness trial is indicated.
Shegog
Ross
R
Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas School of Public Health, 7000 Fannin, Suite 2668, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Ross.Shegog@uth.tmc.edu
McAlister
Alfred L
AL
Hu
Shoahua
S
Ford
Kentya C
KC
Meshack
Angela F
AF
Peters
Ronald J
RJ
D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012574:Schools; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention