title: Does a culturally sensitive smoking prevention program reduce smoking intentions among Aboriginal children? A pilot study.
abstract: The aim of the study was to determine if a culturally sensitive smoking prevention program would have short-term impacts on smoking intentions among Aboriginal children. Two schools with high Aboriginal enrollment were selected for the study. A grade 4 classroom in one school was randomly assigned to receive the culturally sensitive smoking prevention program. A grade 4 classroom in the second school received a standard smoking prevention program delivered in this jurisdiction. Children in each classroom were tested pre- and post-intervention to measure attitude changes about smoking. There was a significant reduction in intentions to smoke among Aboriginal children who received the culturally sensitive smoking prevention program. The small overall sample size precluded a direct comparison of the efficacy of the culturally sensitive and standard programs. The present findings suggest a smoking prevention program that has been culturally adapted for Aboriginal children may reduce future smoking intentions among Aboriginal grade 4 students. Further research is needed to determine the extent to which school smoking prevention programs adapted to respect the long-standing use of tobacco in Aboriginal cultural traditions may be more effective than standard programs in reaching Aboriginal youth.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. dwm4@ualberta.ca
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: McKennitt
authors.forename: Cheryl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Currie
mesh_terms: D000416:Alberta; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000379:methods; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology