Learning Objectives: Describe a school based youth cessation program resulting from the collaboration of a research institution and a county office of education.
Abstract: Project EX in rural Humboldt County, California is a three-year school-based cessation program for high school students. The program utilizes the evidence based Project Ex curriculum previously tested and developed at the University of Southern California (USC) and a nicotine replacement therapy. Each cessation clinic consists of a repertoire of theoretically and empirically derived motivational strategies presented during eight one-hour sessions. In addition a six-week program of over-the-counter nicotine gum or herbal gum is randomly assigned to subjects.
One purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility of USC and the Humboldt County Office of Education (HCOE) collaborating on a rigorous scientific investigation of a nicotine cessation program. The Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (funding from Proposition 99-the Tobacco Tax) and the California Department of Education jointly fund this study. Titled as a "SARA" (School-Academic Research Award) study, its purpose is to stimulate and support collaborations between schools and academic investigators to perform scientific research into tobacco control issues. This aspect of the study’s objectives includes 1) To identify the goals of both USC and HCOE. 2) Through collaborative efforts meet those goals. 3) To conduct cessation clinics at all 16 Humboldt County high schools. 4) To train Health Educators and School Nurses in conducting Project EX at each high school. 5) To create a sustainable cessation program that can exist at the high schools after the study’s conclusion. 6) To maintain rigorous data collection standards.
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