Evaluation of a Culturally Tailored Smoking Prevention Program for Asian American Youth

Abstract

Abstract This study evaluated the effectiveness of a culturally tailored smoking prevention program for Asian American youth (Youth-PASS). A field-tested questionnaire was used to solicit information from participants on knowledge, attitudes and behaviors associated with and use, as well as satisfaction with prevention program content and style of presentation. Pretest and posttest paired data (n = 161) were collected and analyzed. Posttest results revealed a significant increase it, mean scores for knowledge related to use (4.1, p INTRODUCTION American youth represent a subset of the U.S. population that is highly susceptible to industry advertising and to peer pressure, hence are at highest risk of acquiring the smoking habit early in life and of becoming rapidly addicted to nicotine (Pierce & Gilpen, 1996). Age and early addiction to nicotine represent a critical health issue to public health officials and the agencies whose mission is to protect the health of children and adolescents. According to the results of a school-based survey of students in grades 6-12 conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2000, 23% of students surveyed currently use any form of tobacco, 18% currently smoke cigarettes, 15% currently use some other form of tobacco (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2000b). A report by the American Osteopathic Association (2002) noted that 3,000 young people become regular users on a daily basis, and one-third of these will die from smoking-related diseases. Data from the Monitoring the Future Project indicated that the prevalence of cigarette smoking among high school students nationwide increased substantially during the first half of the last decade. Between 1991 and 1994, smoking among 8th graders increased from 14.3% to 18.6%, and among 10th graders, 12th graders, and college freshmen from 20.8% to 25.4%, 28.3% to 31.2%, and 9% to 12.5%, respectively, an average increase of over 3.8% for all student groups (Lloyd et al., 2002). Asian adolescent smoking behavior is also on the rise and depending on gender and ethnic subgroup, ranges from 14% to 28% (CDC, 1999, 2000a, 2000c; Chen & Hawks, 1995; Ma et al., 2003; Mermelstein, 1999; U.S. DHHS, 1998; SAMHSA, 1998; Wiecha, 1996). The male prevalence rate has been reported to be 17.9% (CDC, 2000a). Initiation to smoking early in life and early addiction to nicotine ensures a steady flow of lifetime smokers for the cigarette industry. Nearly 90% of adult smokers in the U.S. started smoking before age 18 (Elders, Perry, Eriksen, & Giovino, 1994). Addiction to smoking and nicotine is highly unlikely among those youth who abstain from smoking while in school and who graduate without acquiring the behavior (CDC, 1994a). Many young smokers are of the opinion that smoking and nicotine are not habit forming, hence are easy to relinquish; most are unaware of the severe dependency that nicotine can engender among the young (Pierce & Gilpen, 1996). …