17th Annual Student Research Conference
Human Potential and Performance
Evaluation of an advocacy-based tobacco prevention program
Megan L. Menefee* and Samantha N. Boudria
Dr. Carol Cox, Faculty Mentor
Nearly 20% of American teenagers smoke cigarettes, and children ages 12 to 14 have the highest rate of initiating daily smoking. The ‘SmokeBusters’ tobacco prevention program, focusing on advocacy and media literacy interventions, was implemented with 240 rural Northeast MO middle school students during the fall of 2003. A pretest-posttest/ non-control group research design was employed to assess the knowledge of smoking/tobacco prevention and the anti-smoking advocacy skills of the participants. Analysis of the test results was performed using a paired-samples t-test. Participants significantly (p<.01) increased their knowledge in the areas of: competency in media relations, confidence in speaking to community leaders about substance abuse, and competency in legislative advocacy skills. In general, most participants improved their knowledge and attitudes about tobacco use, as well as their anti-tobacco advocacy skills.
Keywords: smoking cessation, Smokebusters, media literacy, Eta Sigma Gamma, tobacco prevention, advocacy, rural MO
Topic(s):Health Science
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 26-19
Location: OP Lobby & Atrium
Time: 1:15