A school-based environmental intervention to reduce smoking among high school students: the Acadiana Coalition of Teens against Tobacco (ACTT).
A school-based environmental program to reduce adolescent smoking was conducted in 20 schools (10 intervention; 10 control) in south central Louisiana. The 9th grade cohort (n = 4,763; mean age = 15.4 yrs; 51% female; 61% Caucasian; 30-day smoking prevalence at baseline = 25%) was followed over four years for 30-day smoking prevalence with the school as the unit of analysis. Although prevalence decreased in intervention schools and increased in control schools in Year 2 the significant difference between the two groups at baseline was not overcome by the intervention and increases in prevalence were observed in both groups in Years 3 and 4. The higher the percentage of white students in a school the higher the prevalence rates regardless of intervention/control status. Boys' and girls' smoking rates were similar. These outcome data, student feedback and process evaluation provide a basis for continuing to create more innovative adolescent tobacco control programs.
Department of Community Health Sciences, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA. cjohnso5@tulane.edu
Carolyn C
CC
Johnson
Leann
L
Myers
Larry S
LS
Webber
Neil W
NW
Boris
Hao
H
He
Dixye
D
Brewer
D000293:Adolescent; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013334:Students; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless; D055815:Young Adult