A Middle School Program to Prevent E-Cigarette Use: A Pilot Study of “CATCH My Breath”

Objectives: From 2017 to 2018, electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use increased 78% among high school students and 48% among middle school students in the United States. However, few e-cigarette prevention interventions have been evaluated. We determined the feasibility and initial effectiveness of “CATCH My Breath,” an e-cigarette prevention program, among a sample of middle schools in central Texas. Methods: Twelve middle schools in Texas (6 intervention schools and 6 control schools) participated in the CATCH My Breath pilot program during 2016-2017. CATCH My Breath is rooted in social cognitive theory, consists of 4 interactive in-class modules, and is collaboratively administered via classroom and physical education teachers, student–peer leaders, and social messaging (eg, school posters). We collected 3 waves of data: baseline (January 2017), 4-month follow-up (May 2017), and 16-month follow-up (May 2018). Using school as the unit of analysis, we tested a repeated cross-sectional, condition-by-time interaction on e-cigarette ever use, psychosocial determinants of use, and other tobacco use behaviors. Analyses controlled for school-level sociodemographic characteristics (eg, sex, race/ethnicity, and percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch). Results: From baseline to 16-month follow-up, increases in ever e-cigarette use prevalence were significantly lower among intervention schools (2.8%-4.9%) than among control schools (2.7%-8.9%), controlling for covariates ( P = .01). Intervention schools also had significantly greater improvements in e-cigarette knowledge (β = 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21-1.21; P = .008) and perceived positive outcomes (β = –0.12; 95% CI, –0.23 to –0.02; P = .02) than control schools, controlling for covariates from baseline to 16-month follow-up. Conclusion: Ever e-cigarette use was lower among middle schools that implemented the CATCH My Breath program than among those that did not. Replication of findings among a larger sample of schools, using a group-randomized, longitudinal study design and a longer follow-up period, is needed.

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Using Social Cognitive Theory to Predict Intention to Smoke in Middle School Students

American Journal of Health Studies ◽

10.47779/ajhs.2015.170 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Garrett Miller ◽

Manoj Sharma ◽

David Brown ◽

Mohammad Shahbazi

Keyword(s):

Middle School ◽

Middle School Students ◽

Social Cognitive Theory ◽

Social Cognitive ◽

Cognitive Theory ◽

Self Control ◽

School Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Emotional Coping ◽

Cross Sectional Design

The purpose of this study was to use social cognitive theory to predict the frequency and intention for not smoking among middle school students. The study utilized a cross-sectional design (n=163) and administered a 38-item valid and reliable questionnaire. Frequency for smoking was predicted by environment not supportive to smoking (p < 0.0001) and emotional coping (p < 0.001) (Adjusted R2= 0.20). Intent to smoke was predicted by emotional coping (p < 0.0001); environment not supportive to smoking (p < 0.001), expectations for not smoking (p < 0.003), and self-control for not smoking (p <0.017) (Adjusted R2= 0.36).

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Exposure to advertising and perception, interest, and use of e-cigarettes among adolescents: findings from the US National Youth Tobacco Survey

Perspectives in Public Health ◽

10.1177/1757913917703151 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 137 (6) ◽

pp. 322-325 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Jia Pu ◽

Xiao Zhang

Keyword(s):

High School Students ◽

Electronic Cigarettes ◽

The Internet ◽

Retail Stores ◽

Cigarette Use ◽

School Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Us ◽

Advertising Exposure ◽

Different Sources

Objective: US adolescents are exposed to high levels of advertisements for electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). This study aimed to examine the associations between exposure to e-cigarette advertisements and perception, interest, and use of e-cigarettes among US middle school and high school students. Methods: Data from the 2014 cross-sectional National Youth Tobacco Survey were used. Logistic regressions were conducted to model four outcomes, including perception of reduced harmfulness compared to regular cigarettes, perception of reduced addictiveness, intention to use, and current use of e-cigarettes. Main predictors were exposure to e-cigarette advertisements via four sources, including Internet, newspaper/magazines, retail stores, and TV. Results: When all the four sources of e-cigarette advertisements exposure were evaluated jointly, exposure via the Internet was associated with elevated likelihood of reporting all four outcomes related to e-cigarettes, while exposure via retail stores was associated with higher likelihood of current e-cigarette use and perception of reduced harmfulness of e-cigarettes compared to regular cigarettes ( p < .05). However, exposure via newspaper/magazines and TV was associated with lower likelihood of perceiving e-cigarettes to be less harmful or addictive ( p < .05). Conclusion: Exposure to e-cigarette advertisements via the Internet and retail stores may play a significant role in adolescents’ use and perception of e-cigarettes. The results call for more research on the influence of different sources of advertising exposure on e-cigarette use to help public health programmes curtail the fast growing use of e-cigarette products among youth.

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The Association of Employment and Physical Activity Among Black and White 10th and 12th Grade Students in the United States

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.7.1.26 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 26-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sandi L. Pruitt ◽

Andrew E. Springer

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

High School Students ◽

Team Sports ◽

The United States ◽

Work Intensity ◽

School Students ◽

Vigorous Exercise ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Black And White ◽

12Th Grade

Background:Evidence of an association between employment and physical activity (PA) in youth has been mixed, with studies suggesting both positive and negative associations. We examined the association between employment and PA among U.S. high school students as measured by self-reported overall PA, vigorous exercise, and participation in school athletic teams.Methods:We employed a secondary analysis using weighted linear regression to a sample of black and white 10th grade (n = 12073) and 12th grade students (n = 5500) drawn from the nationally representative cross-sectional 2004 Monitoring the Future Study.Results:Overall, 36.5% of 10th and 74.6% of 12th grade students were employed. In multivariable analyses, 10th graders working >10 hours a week reported less overall PA and exercise and those working >20 hours a week reported less participation in team sports. Among 12th graders, any level of employment was associated with lower rates of team sports; those working >10 hours a week reported less overall PA; and those working >20 hours reported less exercise.Conclusions:Employment at and above 10 hours per week is negatively associated with PA. Increasing work intensity may shed light on the decline of PA as adolescents grow older and merits further attention in research.

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Witnessing Cyberbullying and Internalizing Symptoms among Middle School Students

European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education ◽

10.3390/ejihpe10040068 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 957-966 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Diana M. Doumas ◽

Aida Midgett

Keyword(s):

Middle School ◽

Middle School Students ◽

Internalizing Symptoms ◽

Somatic Symptoms ◽

The United States ◽

School Bullying ◽

School Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cyberbullying Victimization ◽

The Impact

Cyberbullying is a significant problem among school-aged youth. Cyberbullying peaks in middle school with 33% of middle school students reporting cyberbullying victimization and more than 50% reporting witnessing cyberbullying as bystanders. Although the association between cyberbullying victimization and internalizing symptoms is well documented, there is limited research examining the impact of witnessing cyberbullying on bystanders. To assess differences in internalizing symptoms between cyberbullying bystanders and non-bystanders, a school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among middle school students (6th–8th grade) in the United States (N = 130; 57.4% female; 42.6% male). Questionnaire data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of co-variance (MANCOVA) with three outcome variables (depression, anxiety, somatic symptoms) and the between-subject factor bystander status (bystander, non-bystander). We controlled for witnessing school bullying to examine the unique effect of witnessing cyberbullying on internalizing symptoms. Results of the MANCOVA indicated a significant effect for cyberbullying bystander status (p < 0.04). Post hoc analyses demonstrated that bystanders reported significantly higher levels of depression (p < 0.05), anxiety (p < 0.02), and somatic symptoms (p < 0.01) than non-bystanders. Findings suggest that programs to support students who witness cyberbullying are needed to reduce the mental health risks associated with being a cyberbullying bystander.

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E-cigarette use among US adolescents: Perceptions of relative addiction and harm

Health Education Journal ◽

10.1177/0017896916671762 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 76 (3) ◽

pp. 293-301 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Page Daniel Dobbs ◽

Bart Hammig ◽

Leah Jean Henry

Keyword(s):

High School Students ◽

Grade Level ◽

Regression Models ◽

Cigarette Use ◽

Multivariate Logistic Regression ◽

School Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Cross Sectional Design ◽

People’S Perceptions

Objective: Between 2013 and 2014, past 30-day use of e-cigarettes increased from 4.5% to 13.4% among US high school students aged 9–19 years. We sought to examine the influence of perceived addiction and harm of e-cigarettes on e-cigarette use among adolescents. Design: Self-reported use and perception of harm of e-cigarettes were assessed using a cross-sectional design. Setting: Data were collected from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey. Method: Multivariate logistic regression models were employed regressing lifetime e-cigarette use and past 30-day use on established covariate factors. Results: Perceiving e-cigarettes as less harmful than conventional cigarettes increased students’ odds of lifetime use (odds ratio [ OR] = 2.40, 95% confidence interval [ CI] = 1.98–2.90) and past 30-day use ( OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.63–2.92) of e-cigarettes. Perceiving e-cigarettes as less addictive than conventional cigarettes also increased students’ odds of lifetime use ( OR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.82–2.45) and past 30-day use ( OR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.57–2.38) of e-cigarettes; however, perceiving e-cigarettes as more addictive than conventional cigarettes also increased students’ odds of lifetime use ( OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.37–2.49) and past 30-day use ( OR = 2.68, 95% CI = 1.84–3.90) of e-cigarettes. Other influencing factors of e-cigarette use among youth included race, grade level, living with a smoker and lifetime use of regular cigarettes. Conclusion: The perception that e-cigarettes are less addictive and harmful than their conventional counterparts may be an important risk factor for the use of e-cigarettes. Factors influencing young people’s perceptions need to be examined further.

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Determinants of e-cigarette use among a sample of high school students in Jakarta, Indonesia

International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health ◽

10.1515/ijamh-2019-0172 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mouhamad Bigwanto ◽

Mochamad Iqbal Nurmansyah ◽

Elizabeth Orlan ◽

Yoli Farradika ◽

Tri Bayu Purnama

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cigarette Use ◽

School Students ◽

Enabling Factors ◽

Multivariate Statistical ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Potential Health ◽

Reinforcing Factors

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors associated with electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use among high school students in Jakarta, Indonesia. Methods This cross-sectional study took place in eight high schools in Jakarta, Indonesia. A total of 767 students were recruited by multistage cluster random sampling. Bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were employed to determine the associations between socio-demographic, predisposing, reinforcing and enabling factors and e-cigarette use. Results Respondents were 54.1% male and the mean age was 16 years old [standard deviation (SD): 1.02]. In this sample, 32.2% of students (n = 247) had ever used e-cigarettes and 11.8% of students were e-cigarette users (n = 90). Several measured factors were positively associated with e-cigarette use, including: current smoking of conventional cigarettes [odds ratio (OR): 2.06]; perception that e-cigarettes are less addictive than conventional cigarettes (OR: 1.98); perception that e-cigarettes do not cause cancer (OR: 2.38); parental acceptance of e-cigarette use (OR: 3.80); and having enough money to buy e-cigarettes (OR: 3.24). The only variable found that was negatively associated with e-cigarette use was teacher’s use of e-cigarettes (OR: 0.34). Conclusions This study found that student social influences, perceptions about and accessibility to e-cigarettes were significantly positively associated with e-cigarette use among high school students in Jakarta, Indonesia. This study highlights the importance of educating students, their parents and teachers regarding safety and potential health hazards of using e-cigarettes. Efforts to implement and enforce youth access restrictions on e-cigarettes in Indonesia are crucial to preventing further uptake of these products.

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A sun safety pilot program utilizing a tanning myths-focused video contest for Utah adolescents: A cross-sectional analysis (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.20192 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Amanda Truong ◽

Brayden Forbes ◽

Mingyuan Zhang ◽

Molly McFadden ◽

Stephanie Klein

Keyword(s):

High School Students ◽

White Students ◽

Sun Exposure ◽

The United States ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

School Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sun Safety ◽

Sunscreen Use ◽

Exposure History

BACKGROUND Adolescents are susceptible to excessive ultraviolet exposure due to intentional tanning, outdoor lifestyles and poor sunscreen adherence. As skin cancer incidence continues to rise in the United States, effective and focused interventions are needed to encourage photoprotective behaviors. OBJECTIVE This study seeks to determine poor photoprotective behavior risk factors in adolescents residing in Utah and whether video contest participants have increased sun protective knowledge and intentions. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, we surveyed Utah high school students (n=20) who participated in a tanning myths-themed public service announcement video contest. A control cohort of students who did not participate in the video contest were also surveyed (n=89). Demographics, sun exposure history, intentions to tan, and intentions to use sunscreen were documented. Knowledge of tanning myths was assessed with a seven-question sun safety quiz. RESULTS Survey response rate was 93%. 66.1% reported at least one sunburn and 47.7% reported intentional tanning within the past two years. Higher tanning intentions were associated with personal (p<0.001), family (p=0.001), and peer (p<0.001) history of tanning. Video contest participants had higher sun safety quiz scores (p<0.001) and higher sunscreen use intentions (p=0.011), but did not have decreased tanning intentions (p=0.47) compared to non-video contest participants. Hispanic and African-American students were less likely to participate in the video contest (p<0.001 and p=0.04, respectively). Comparing white and non-white students, there were no differences in sun exposure history, but non-white students had lower sun safety knowledge (p=0.01) and lower sunscreen use intention (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS Sun safety educational disparities exist, and targeted efforts are needed to encourage photoprotective behaviors in high risk populations. Our findings suggest that video contest participation may encourage sunscreen use and sun protection awareness.

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A Comparison of Bullying in Four Rural Middle and High Schools

The Rural Educator ◽

10.35608/ruraled.v25i3.523 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jody Isernhagen ◽

Sandra Harris

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Middle School ◽

High School Students ◽

High Schools ◽

Rural School ◽

School Level ◽

High School Level ◽

School Students ◽

Chi Square ◽

School Settings

Bullying in rural school settings is clearly a problem and some of our students are suffering as a result.. Bullying is defined in this study of 819 rural middle and high school students as when a student is exposed repeatedly to negative actions by one or more other students. Students responded to a questionnaire about how often and where bullying occurred and who students told. Analysis of the data reported frequencies, and the Pearson chi-square was used to test for significance (p <.05) for gender and school level. Results indicated that while there are many similarities, there are some differences in bullying at these two levels that should be considered when reducing bullying. First, students should be encouraged to develop positive strategies to react to name calling and teasing particularly at the middle school level. Second, administrators and teachers must communicate better with students that they care about reducing bullying, especially at the high school level.

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Low Caloric Intake Among Mexican – American High School Students May Suggest Food Insecurity and/or Insufficiency in the Household

Californian Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.32398/cjhp.v5i2.1230 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 29-44

Author(s):

Liset Leal-Vasquez ◽

Tammy Wyatt ◽

Ashley Love

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Mexican American ◽

Caloric Intake ◽

The United States ◽

School Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health Concerns

In the United States, health concerns such as food insecurity and obesity continue to rise among American households (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003). Poor dietary intake can result in poor health outcomes as well as negatively impact student academic performance (Sigman-Grant, 2003). Despite the growing health concerns among the youth, limited studies have examined the dietary patterns of the Mexican-American adolescent population. This study aims to fill that void by describing the dietary intake of predominantly Mexican-American adolescents 13-18 years of age (n=532). The study design was cross-sectional and randomly selected high school participants based on their enrollment in physical education classes. Results of a one day 24-hour dietary recall showed both males and females in this study were below the national recommendations for total calories per day and reported poor eating behaviors. Further research is needed to investigate food insufficiency in this population who has high prevalence of overweight.

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PSYCHOSOCIAL PROBLEMS AMONG ADOLESCENTS:A COMPARISON BETWEEN URBAN AND RURAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF DEHRADUN

10.36106/ijar/1707526 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-3

Author(s):

Ashwani Sharma ◽

Shantanu Aggarwal ◽

Saumya Mohanty ◽

Puneet Ohri ◽

S. K Gupta

Keyword(s):

High School Students ◽

Psychosocial Problems ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

School Level ◽

School Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Stage Of Development ◽

Rural And Urban ◽

Storm And Stress ◽

Study Participants

Introduction:- Adolescence is the transitional stage of development between childhood and adulthood. Hall denoted this period as “Storm and Stress” and states “conflict at this developmental stage is normal” leading to psychosocial problems. This study is conducted to compare the psychosocial problems between adolescents in urban and rural area. Material and methods:- A Cross-sectional study was done in November 2018 in rural and urban schools of Dehradun. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire and analysed using Epi info software. Results:- A total of 170 students participated in the study out of which 111 were males and 59 females. Psychosocial problems were seen in 11.2% of study participants (11.7% in males and 10.1% in females. Conclusion and recommendations:- Psychosocial problems were seen on rise among adolescents and needs to be addressed at school level.

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