title: Quit and Win smoking cessation contest for Wisconsin college students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine effectiveness of smoking cessation contests at 3 Wisconsin colleges.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre-post program evaluation, with 6-month follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two-year technical college, private 4-year college, and state university in spring and fall of 2000.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred fifty-two college smokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students participated in 7-week stop-smoking contests. Successful quitters were eligible for prizes. Smoking status was assessed at 6-month follow-up by telephone survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cessation rate for 18- to 24-year-olds was 30% at the end of the contests. At the 6-month followup, 12% of participants were not smoking. Participants who smoked fewer cigarettes per month were more likely to quit smoking at the end of the contests. Although no difference was found between 2- and 4-year college participants, heavier smokers from 4-year colleges were more likely to quit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because of their similarity to effective smoking promotions, contests should be considered a cost-effective strategy for this age group.
authors.affiliation: Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, 1900 South Ave, La Crosse, WI 54601, USA. blrooney@gundluth.org
authors.forename: Brenda L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Rooney
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Silha
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gloyd
authors.forename: Rose
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kreutz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001363:Awards and Prizes; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology