Project Title: Multi-Cultural Tobacco Media and Community Control Studies in Texas

Abstract:

Each year, more than 26,000 Texans die as a result of tobacco use. The economic burden to Texans, in terms of health care costs and loss of productivity, is estimated at over 4.9 billion dollars per year. An estimated 118,000 packs of cigarettes are consumed daily by minors who cannot legally possess tobacco products. There is an acute need for focused community trials for investigating and evaluating processes and effects of regional and state-level media, community and policy activities to reduce smoking. The Texas Multi-Cultural Tobacco Media and Community Control Study is a four-year project aimed at doing just that. The study focuses on the three primary ethnic/cultural groups in Texas: Anglos, Hispanics/Latinos and African Americans. Funding for this project comes as a result of Texas’ portion of the national tobacco settlement allotment. Baylor College of Medicine focuses on a limited set of tasks within the project, including: 1) student training to discuss tobacco cessation messages and promotion of participation in the International Quit & Win Contest (sponsored by the World Health Organization); 2) design, delivery and evaluation of the effects of a brief training program to empower students to take action on behalf of tobacco control on their tobacco use rates; 3) survey of the primary care physicians in the state to assess their tobacco related practices and attitudes; and 4) design and evaluation of a tobacco prevention and control training program for medical students.

PI:

  • Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, Professor of Medicine and Deputy Director of the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine

Co-PI's:

  • Kipling Gallion, MA, Assistant Professor of Medicine in Cancer Education at the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine
  • Luis F. Velez, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine in Cancer Education at the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine

Funding Institution:

National Cancer Institute (National Institutes of Health)

Funding Period:

4 yrs.– 2000 - 2004

Location/Service Area:

Texas statewide

Collaborators/Co-sponsors:

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

Goals:

  • To provide consultation on project design, formative research and training students on tobacco control.
  • To study the behavior and attitudes related to tobacco prevention and control among primary care physicians.
  • To evaluate the effect of a brief intervention to empower students to take advocacy action on behalf of tobacco control policies on the smoking rates of teenagers.

Results:

Administrative

  • Conducted regular site meetings with project staff, contractors and community support personnel

Middle Schools

  • Led the development of the instrument for the May 2003 Tobacco Survey
  • Developed contents and materials for advocacy component and implemented to schools
  • Participated in program description and progress reporting

High Schools

  • Led the development of the instrument for the May 2003 Tobacco Survey
  • Delivered advocacy sub-component to schools and assisted in program description/reporting

Healthcare Providers

  • Participated in development of the survey instrument to health care providers and students
  • Led development of the instrument and conducted survey among physicians in May 2003
  • Assisted in the development and delivery of advocacy seminars for health career students

Legislative

  • Developed advocacy training for secondary school and medical school students according to overall goals of the legislative policy study
  • Coordinated learning experiences for empowerment training group

Potential Impact:

The project has the potential to decrease the prevalence of smoking among middle and high school students using peer networking, media, health education, and other preventative measures.

Publications:

None to report.