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INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH PROMOTION RESEARCH (IHPR)

Past Projects Fact Sheets

Multi-Cultural Tobacco Advocacy Project

SUMMARY

Each year, as more than 26,000 Texans die of tobacco use and the state’s economy suffers a $4.9 billion hit in tobacco-related health care costs and loss of productivity, 118,000 packs of cigarettes find their way into the hands of minors who can’t even legally possess them. So the four-year Multi-Cultural Tobacco Media and Community Control Studies in Texas project sought to investigate and evaluate processes and effects of regional and state-level media and community and policy activities to reduce smoking, especially among youths. The project aimed to: 1) train students to discuss tobacco cessation messages and promote participation in the International Quit & Win Contest, sponsored by the World Health Organization; 2) design, deliver and evaluate the effects of a brief training program to empower students to take action regarding their tobacco use rates; 3) survey Texas primary care physicians to assess their tobacco-related practices and attitudes; and 4) design and evaluate a tobacco prevention and control training program for medical students.

FUNDING

nci logo

National Cancer Institute
2000-04
Project No. R01 CA86295-04

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

  • Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH
    IHPR, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (at Baylor College of Medicine for this project)

COLLABORATORS

  • Baylor College of Medicine
  • Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center
  • University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston
  • Texas Department of Health

LOCATION/SERVICE AREA

Texas

CONCLUSIONS

Armed with the potential to decrease the prevalence of smoking among middle- and high-school students using peer networking, media, health education, and other preventative measures, the project had these results for these groups:

  • Administrative
    • Conducted regular site meetings with project staff, contractors and community support personnel
  • Middle schools
    • Led the development of the May 2003 Tobacco Survey instrument
    • Developed materials for advocacy and implemented in schools
    • Participated in program description and progress reporting
  • High Schools
    • Led the development of the May 2003 Tobacco Survey instrument
    • Delivered advocacy sub-component to schools and assisted in program description and progress reporting
  • Healthcare Providers
    • Helped develop survey instrument for health care providers and students
    • Led development of the May 2003 physician survey
    • Helped develop and deliver advocacy seminars for health career students
  • Legislative
    • Developed advocacy training for secondary- and medical-school students in keeping with the overall goals of the legislative policy study
    • Coordinated learning experiences for empowerment training group

PUBLICATIONS

  • Ramirez, AG, Velez, LF, Chalela, P, Grussendorf, J, & McAlister, AL. 2006. Tobacco Control Policy Advocacy Attitudes and Self-Efficacy among Ethnically Diverse High School Students. Health Education & Behavior, 33(4), 502-514.

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