The Effect of Two Elementary School-Based Prevention Interventions on Being Offered Tobacco and the Transition to Smoking

Authors

Yan Wang, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Carla L. Storr, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Kerry M. Green, University of Maryland School of Public Health
Shijun Zhu, University of Maryland School of Nursing
Elizabeth A. Stuart, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Sarah D. Lynne-Landsman, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Katherine H. Clemans, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthFollow
Hanno Petras, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Sheppard G. Kellam, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Nicholas S. Ialongo, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2012

Publication Title

Drug and Alcohol Dependence

Abstract

Aims: This study sought to more precisely delineate the mechanisms by which two early elementary school-based, universal (i.e., applied to the entire population regardless of risk status) preventive interventions increased survival to first tobacco cigarette smoked. Specifically, we examined whether the interventions' effect on survival to first use was via the reduction of offers to smoke and/or through preventing the transition from first offer to smoking. Methods: A total of 678 urban first-graders were assigned randomly to the classroom-centered (CC), or the family-school partnership (FSP), or a control classroom condition. Youth were followed annually until 1 year beyond their anticipated high school graduation (mean age ∼18 years). Discrete-time survival analyses on 628 youth evaluated the impact of the CC and FSP interventions on first tobacco offer and initial tobacco smoking once offered. Findings: The risk of being offered tobacco was reduced among both CC and FSP intervention groups relative to the control group, although the reduction was only statistically significant for the CC intervention. Neither intervention condition reduced the transition to smoking once offered tobacco to smoke. Conclusion: The CC intervention appeared to have its effect on survival to first cigarette smoked by delaying the first offer to smoke. Preventive interventions focused on refusal skills during the middle school years may be necessary to reduce the likelihood of the transition to smoking once offered.

Keywords

Aggression, Gender, Intervention, Smoking initiation, Tobacco offer

Volume

120

Issue

1-3

First Page

202

Last Page

208

DOI

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.07.022

ISSN

03768716

Comments

Peer reviewed accepted manuscript.

Recommended Citation

Wang, Yan; Storr, Carla L.; Green, Kerry M.; Zhu, Shijun; Stuart, Elizabeth A.; Lynne-Landsman, Sarah D.; Clemans, Katherine H.; Petras, Hanno; Kellam, Sheppard G.; and Ialongo, Nicholas S., "The Effect of Two Elementary School-Based Prevention Interventions on Being Offered Tobacco and the Transition to Smoking" (2012). Psychology: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/psy_facpubs/194