Effectiveness of a social influences smoking prevention program as a function of provider type, training method, and school risk

Objectives. This study determined the effect of provider (nurse or teacher) and training method (workshop or self-preparation) on outcomes of a social influences smoking prevention program. Methods. One hundred elementary schools were stratified by school risk scor e (high risk = high smoking rate among senior students) and assigned random ly to conditions: (1) teacher/self-preparation, (2) teacher/workshop, (3) n urse/self-preparation, (4) nurse/workshop, and (5) control. Intervention oc curred in grades 6 to 8. Smoking status at the end of grade 8 was the prima ry endpoint variable. Results. Intervention reduced grade 8 smoking rates in high-risk schools (s moking rates of 26.9% in control vs 16.0% in intervention schools) but not in low-risk schools. There were no signifi cant differences in outcome as a function of training method and no significant differences in outcome betw een teacher provided and nurse-provided interventions in high- and medium-r isk schools. Although nurses achieved better outcomes than did teachers in low-risk schools, neither provider type achieved outcomes superior to the c ontrol condition in those schools. Conclusions. Workshop training did not affect outcomes. Teachers and nurses were equally effective providers. Results suggest that programming should target high-risk schools.