Ninth-Grade Students' Perceived Attitudes and Behaviors in a Tobacco Cessation Program Delivered by Dental Educators

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2011

Publication Title

Journal of Dental Education

Volume

75

Issue

10

First page number:

1345

Last page number:

1353

Abstract

This study measured whether a tobacco cessation program in Nevada's Clark County School District (CCSD) delivered by dental educators affected ninth-grade students' short-term perceived knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and intentions (KABI) toward tobacco use and whether the CCSD's immersion approach led to positive changes in students' KABI. A quantitative research methodology with a descriptive research design was used. Data were collected from 617 students using pre- and post-program surveys self-administered by the participants. The surveys were based on those used previously in national and other large-scale epidemiologic studies assessing tobacco intervention program effectiveness. The survey data revealed that, after the program, more students had an increased awareness of tobacco use dangers to their health and significantly increased awareness of the negative consequences of tobacco use. The number of students who did or did not use tobacco changed very little as a result of the program, but the tobacco users on the post-program survey did report statistically significant decreases in overall use. Significant reduction in tobacco usage by the tobacco users indicates some desire on the part of smoking students to quit or reduce their tobacco usage. Little evidence of major changes in student attitudes was found.

Keywords

tobacco cessation education; tobacco curriculum; immersion approach; public school students

Find It


Search your library

Share

COinS