2007 National Conference on Tobacco or Health

Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Exhibit Hall

Key Grade-related Periods for Anti-tobacco Campaigns and Interventions

Ann C. Forsythe, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, akf9@cdc.gov, Galen E. Cole, MPH PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, GCole@cdc.gov, Linda L. Pederson, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, LIP9@cdc.gov, Elizabeth W. Mitchell, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, BHM0@cdc.gov, Robert M. Rodes, MBA MEd MS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, rur9@cdc.gov, Galen Cole, PhD, GCole@cgc.gov, Linda Pederson, PhD, LIP9@cdc.gov, Elizabeth Mitchell, PhD, BHM0@cdc.gov, Robert Rodes, MBA, RUR9@cdc.gov.

Learning Objectives: Identify developmental trends of high sensation seeking at-risk youth Describe and recognize elementary, middle and high school recommendations for anti-tobacco campaigns Assess tailored anti-tobacco campaign messages for effective development and evaluation

Audience: Tobacco use among children and teens continues to be one of America's greatest health concerns. Previous research stresses the need to further investigate stages of child and adolescent tobacco use, when attitudes to tobacco and smoking appear to change from negative to positive. The association between sensation seeking and critical periods of tobacco attitude change, experimentation with tobacco use and progression to regular use has not been extensively explored.

Key Points: The objective of this study was to research youth grade-related trends on tobacco use and risk and protective factors for high and low sensation seekers so that anti-smoking messages may be targeted more effectively to at-risk youth at the times they are most vulnerable to smoking initiation and increased use.

Learning Objectives: The study used YouthStyles 1999 and 2006 cross-sectional data from a national probability sample of over 3,800 4th-12th grade students. The independent variable was grade level with sensation seeking (high or low) as a contingent variable for across-grade plots of trends in tobacco intentions and use as well as various risk/protective factors.

Benefits: Tailored communication messages that are developmentally appropriate for at-risk youth need to be developed and evaluated to prevent initiation of tobacco use or movement from initiation to occasional or regular use.


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