The Arizona CHAMPS Peer Project for Tobacco Use Prevention: Effects on Tobacco Use, Intentions to Use, and Knowledge

• Published in: American journal of health education Vol. 34; no. 5; pp. 250 - 257
• Main Authors: Sciacca, John, Eng, Howard, Mahrt, James, Dorsey, Kate
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reston, VA Taylor & Francis Group 01.10.2003; American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance; Taylor & Francis Ltd; American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance
• Subjects: Adolescents; Age Differences; Arizona; Comparative Analysis; Early Adolescents; Elementary School Students; Gender Differences; Grade 5; Grade 6; Grade 7; Health Behavior; Health education; Health Promotion; Intention; Intervention; Knowledge Level; Longitudinal Studies; Middle School Students; Peer Influence; Peer Teaching; Preadolescents; Prevention; Prevention programs; Program Effectiveness; Questionnaires; Racial Differences; Smoking; Tobacco; Youth Programs; United States > US; Arizona
• DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2003.10603557
• ISSN: 1932-5037

This study reports on CHAMPS, a youth tobacco education and prevention program intervention that focused on peer-led educational activities. Nineteen schools implemented a CHAMPS tobacco prevention program in grades 5, 6, and 7. Six schools served as nonintervention comparison sites. Baseline and follow-up questionnaires were completed by 1,412 students. The proportion of students reporting current cigarette use decreased significantly in the CHAMPS group but not in the comparison group. Intervention group students' knowledge about the harmful consequences of tobacco use increased significantly, whereas knowledge essentially stayed the same among comparison group students. Finally, the number of nonsmoking students who reported they would smoke a cigarette if one of their best friends offered it increased significantly in the comparison group but not in the intervention group. These results suggest that a well-planned and implemented peer-helping program represents an important potential resource that should be considered as a welcome adjunct to existing school-based tobacco education and prevention efforts.