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Session Title: Evaluating Arizona's School-based Tobacco Prevention Program: Lessons Learned in Outcome Evaluation

Panel Session 626 to be held in Royale Conference Foyer on Friday, November 9, 1:55 PM to 3:25 PM

Sponsored by the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health TIG

Chair(s):

Frederic payday loan  Malter payday loan ,  University of Arizona,  fmalter@email.arizona.edu

Abstract: Various tobacco prevention curricula are administered in Arizona schools in grades four through eight through the Tobacco Education and Prevention Program (TEPP). Yet, the intensive school-based prevention program (in effect since 1996 and funded through tobacco tax revenue) has not been subjected to a comprehensive quantitative evaluation. The panelists will outline the rationale and implementation of the curricula and proceed with demonstrating a quasi-experimental approach to obtain effectiveness estimates. Our approach will draw from different methodological toolboxes (e.g. statistically derived control groups, integration of single indicator measures into multivariate measures) to produce meaningful findings. The presenters will show ways of translating scientific findings into actions tailored to programmatic needs and goals. Acknowledging that the quantitative evaluation of a multi-site, multi-curriculum prevention program remains a challenging endeavor, the panel will provide their audience with straight-forward examples that can be applied to their evaluation practice.

The Challenges of Evaluating a Tobacco Prevention Program: Curricula, Coverage and Why a Program Could Make a Difference Arian Sunshine payday loan  Coffman payday loan ,  University of Arizona,  scoffman@email.arizona.edu Arizona's Tobacco Education and Prevention Program (TEPP) provides intensive school-based tobacco prevention programming to public schools serving grades four through eight using a variety of curricula. A description of past and current tobacco prevention programming will be provided. A focus will be placed on differences in curriculum content and why the structure of a curriculum could be expected to affect future intentions to use tobacco. Preliminary results regarding post-class satisfaction and estimates of treatment fidelity will be given. Geographical and administrative coverage were examined and results indicate vast differences with respect to geographic location and school districts. Symmetry of need and provision were assessed with findings indicating that there may be an imbalance between those schools with highest prevention needs and those getting the most attention. Additionally, because prevention programs offer unique challenges in regards to evaluation, experience in the evaluation of TEPP's prevention programming will be shared.

Synthesizing Data Bases for a Quasi-experimental Study of Program Outcomes and Program Effectiveness Frederic payday loan  Malter payday loan ,  University of Arizona,  fmalter@email.arizona.edu This presentation will outline how a school-based tobacco use prevention program can be evaluated by combining data from multiple sources. A huge statewide youth surveillance system was merged with administrative post-class survey data to obtain statistical comparison groups, i.e. students who never received any prevention curriculum that can be compared to those students who underwent various levels and kinds of curriculums. Quantitative comparisons allowed a first careful estimation of a dose-response relationship within each curriculum. Outcome measures included actual self-reported use of tobacco products, self-reported behavioral intentions, attitudes and risk perceptions. Measures of program effectiveness were estimated for units of analyses with increasingly higher levels, beginning with the school level and climaxing at the state level. Caveats of the methodology, such as the danger of an ecologic fallacy and issues of statistically derived controls will be discussed and future directions highlighted.

What we have Learned from the Evaluation of the School-based Prevention Program in Arizona? Results from a Quasi-experimental Approach Mei-kuang payday loan  Chen payday loan ,  University of Arizona,  kuang@u.arizona.edu Our quasi-experimental approach yielded preliminary findings that allow for comparing curriculums to each other and to our statistically derived controls. By incorporating measures from a state-wide risk-and-protective-factors surveillance system we were enabled to identify current & future needs that should affect strategic program directions. Results from merged data bases allow us to present details regarding the match of administrative assessment of school environments (e.g. percent of kids receiving free lunches) and how individuals within the same environment perceive their proximal and distal environment. Implications for tobacco prevention programming will be shown. The presentation will share experiences in how evaluating a tobacco prevention program can provide helpful information for improving program development, program implementation, research design, outcome instruments, data analysis, and synthesis of evaluation results. Possibilities of how to apply what we've learned from the evaluation of this specific prevention program to evaluating preventive interventions in general will be outlined.