title: Project EX-India: A classroom-based tobacco use prevention and cessation intervention program.
abstract: Tobacco use experimentation is most frequent between the ages of 15–24 in India. Therefore, programming to counteract tobacco use among adolescents is needed. There is a lack of evidence-based teen tobacco use prevention and cessation programs. The current study provides an outcome evaluation of the Project EX tobacco use prevention and cessation program among Indian adolescents (16–18 years). An eight-session classroom-based curriculum was adapted to the Indian context and translated from English to Hindi (local language). Next, it was tested using a quasi-experimental design with 624 Indian students at baseline, involving two program and two control schools, with a three-month post-program follow-up. Project EX involves motivation enhancement (e.g., talk shows and games) and coping skills (e.g., complementary and alternative medicine) components. Program participants rated complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) activities like meditation, yoga and healthy breathing higher than talk shows and games. Compared to the standard care control condition, the program condition revealed a prevention effect, but not a cessation effect. Implications for prevention/cessation programming among Indian teens are discussed. This study was approved by the Independent Ethics Committee, Mumbai.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2001 N Soto Street, Los Angeles, CA 90032, United States. Electronic address: anuprees@usc.edu.
authors.forename: Anupreet Kaur
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sidhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2001 N Soto Street, Los Angeles, CA 90032, United States; Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, 3620 South McClintock Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States; School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 925 W 34th St, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States. Electronic address: ssussma@usc.edu.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sussman
authors.affiliation: HRIDAY (Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth), 2nd Floor, 20 Anand Lok, New Delhi 110049, India. Electronic address: abha1968@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: Abha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tewari
authors.affiliation: HRIDAY (Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth), 2nd Floor, 20 Anand Lok, New Delhi 110049, India. Electronic address: shalini@hriday-shan.org.
authors.forename: Shalini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bassi
authors.affiliation: HRIDAY (Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth), 2nd Floor, 20 Anand Lok, New Delhi 110049, India; Public Health Foundation of India, ISID Campus, 4 Institutional Area, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070, India. Electronic address: monika@hriday-shan.org.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arora
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012572:School Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020340:Tobacco Use Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cessation; Prevention; Project EX; School-based; Tobacco