Outcome evaluation of a high school smoking reduction intervention based on extracurricular activities

Abstract

Background: An outcome evaluation of a high school tobacco control intervention using extracurricular activities developed by teachers and students is reported.

Methods: Eligible subjects (n = 3,028) had participated in a randomized trial of an elementary school smoking prevention curriculum. Their high schools were matched in pairs; one school in each pair was randomly assigned to the intervention condition, the second to a "usual-care" control condition. Data were collected at the end of Grades 9 and 10.

Results: For Grade 8 never smokers, regular smoking rates were significantly lower for males from intervention schools (9.8 vs 16.2%, P = 0.02) at the end of Grade 10. There were no significant differences among Grade 10 smoking rates for females, or for students of either gender with previous smoking experience in Grade 8.

Conclusions: The extracurricular activities approach to tobacco control is practical to implement and has promise.