Effectiveness of a School-Based ‘Tobacco Free’ Intervention on Adolescents’ Knowledge and Exposure to Second Hand Tobacco Smoke - A Multiphase Study

Document Type

News Article

Abstract

There is no safe level of exposure to second hand tobacco smoke (SHS). The World Health Organization has stressed that 100% smoke‐free environments are the only effective way to protect the population from the harmful effects of exposure to SHS. A multiphase study was done among 12 year old adolescents in Mangalore to assess exposure to second hand tobacco smoke at home and to determine their Salivary Cotinine level as well as the knowledge, attitude and avoidance behavior towards second hand tobacco smoke before and after carrying out an educational intervention. A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire phase 1 on 1442 participants and a phase 2 randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 30 participants each in the experimental and control arms were done. Children’s knowledge, attitude and behavior towards second hand smoke was determined using a 25 item questionnaire, followed by estimation of salivary cotinine levels using the Salimetrics High Sensitivity Salivary Cotinine Quantitative Enzyme Immunoassay Kit, before and after the intervention. The intervention consists of 40 min session delivered once a week for 3 consecutive weeks. The outcome of this research would be useful in developing effective school‐based tobacco intervention policy which could be incorporated into the school curriculum in our country.

Publications

  1. Ashwini Rao, Unnikrishnan B, Nikita Rungta, Nandini M, Ramya Shenoy, Arathi Rao, Mranali K Shetty. Exposure to Second Hand Tobacco Smoke among 12 year old Adolescents in Mangalore, Karnataka – A Descriptive Study. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2021; 22(3): 827-35 Doi: 10.31557/APJCP.2021.22.3.827. weblink: http://journal.waocp.org/article_89521.html
  2. Ashwini Rao, Unnikrishnan B, Prasanna Mithra, Nandini M, Ramya Shenoy, Nikita Rungta. Effectiveness of a School-Based ‘Tobacco Free’ Intervention on Adolescents’ Knowledge and Exposure to Second Hand Tobacco Smoke - A Multiphase Study. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2019, 20 (12), 3533-3537. Doi: 10.31557/apjcp.2019.20.12.3533. Weblink: http://journal.waocp.org/article_88860.html

Grant:

Funded project: This study has received the Public Health Research Initiative (PHRI) Research Grant of Rs. 18,99,205 as an extramural fund set up by Public Health foundation of India (PHFI) in collaboration with Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB, A Statutory Body under Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India).

Academic discipline of the work: Public Health Dentistry in collaboration with Dr. Unnikrishnan B, Department of Community medicine and Dr. Nandini M, Department of Biochemistry

Publication Date

Spring 10-1-2022

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS