Dataset Information

The Short-term Effects of ASPIRA: A Web-based, Multimedia Smoking Prevention Program for Adolescents in Romania: A Cluster Randomized Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Although web-based, multimedia smoking prevention programs have been tested in several high-income countries, their efficacy in Central and Eastern Europe is unknown. The aim of this trial was to assess the short-term effects of ASPIRA, among Romanian and Hungarian speaking ninth graders in Tirgu Mures, Romania. ASPIRA is the Romanian acronym for the translated and adapted version of ASPIRE, "A Smoking Prevention Interactive Experience," an evidence-based smoking prevention program originally developed to prevent tobacco use among high school students in the United States.

Methods

Sixteen high schools in Tirgu Mures, Romania were randomized to receive five weekly sessions of the ASPIRA web-based, multimedia program or to a control condition. Socio-demographic data, psychosocial characteristics, and smoking behavior were collected from students at baseline and at 6 months. A hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted to test the efficacy of the intervention on smoking initiation and current smoking among 1369 students.

Results

Never-smoker students in the intervention arm were 35% less likely to report smoking initiation 6 months after the baseline assessment (OR = 0.65, 95%CI: 0.44-0.97). Reduced smoking initiation was observed most notably among students who were exposed to at least 75% of the ASPIRA program. There was no statistically significant effect of the intervention on current tobacco use (OR = 0.80, 95%CI: 0.44-1.46).

Conclusions

ASPIRA, an adapted version of the evidence-based, multimedia ASPIRE program that was originally developed and tested in the United States may decrease smoking initiation among multi-ethnic adolescents in Central and Eastern Europe.

Implications

(1). Web-based, multimedia smoking prevention programs may be effective tools to prevent smoking initiation among multi-ethnic adolescent communities in Central and Eastern Europe. (2). The degree of exposure is critical, only high exposure to the multimedia smoking prevention program is associated with reduced smoking initiation.

SUBMITTER: Nadasan V

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5896509 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

The Short-term Effects of ASPIRA: A Web-based, Multimedia Smoking Prevention Program for Adolescents in Romania: A Cluster Randomized Trial.

Nădăşan Valentin V Foley Kristie L KL Pénzes Melinda M Paulik Edit E Mihăicuţă Ștefan Ș Ábrám Zoltán Z Bálint Jozsef J Csibi Monika M Urbán Robert R

Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco 20170801 8

<h4>Introduction</h4>Although web-based, multimedia smoking prevention programs have been tested in several high-income countries, their efficacy in Central and Eastern Europe is unknown. The aim of this trial was to assess the short-term effects of ASPIRA, among Romanian and Hungarian speaking ninth graders in Tirgu Mures, Romania. ASPIRA is the Romanian acronym for the translated and adapted version of ASPIRE, "A Smoking Prevention Interactive Experience," an evidence-based smoking prevention ...[more]

PMID: 27838661

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Project description:Background: Tobacco smoking remains a public health problem among adolescents in the United States. While Web-based interventions for smoking prevention have been successful at the individual level, there is still an urgent need to understand their engagement capabilities and their effects at the social level. In the current study, we aimed to (1) learn about adolescents' subjective experience with a Web-based program called a smoking prevention interactive experience (ASPIRE), (2) obtain suggestions for improvement in ASPIRE content, (3) identify psychological outcomes of ASPIRE, and (4) explore outcomes of social interaction.Materials and methods: After a randomized controlled trial with 110 adolescents, 20 adolescent users of ASPIRE, aged 11-18, were randomly selected to participate in one-on-one interviews at four after-school programs in Houston, Texas. Interviews involved questions concerning adolescents' experience with the intervention. Qualitative data were coded and analyzed using a constant comparison approach for the generation of themes.Results: Describing their experience with ASPIRE, participants expressed comfort in material that is tailored to their demographic and preferred interactive activities over entertaining videos. Presenting suggestions for improvement, participants mainly reported the need to include gaming features into ASPIRE. Presenting psychological outcomes, they expressed emotional engagement in the program, shifts in attitudes and beliefs, and unwillingness to smoke. Finally, as outcomes of social interaction, participants reported engagement with others in discussions about tobacco and their need to hold smokers accountable for their actions.Conclusions: Adolescents' reports moved from their individual experience with ASPIRE to their active interactions with family members and friends and their attempt to persuade others to quit smoking. Future Web-based programs for adolescents may be designed with tailoring and game play in mind, in order to provide mobilization skills and foster social interactions against smoking.

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Dataset Information

The Short-term Effects of ASPIRA: A Web-based, Multimedia Smoking Prevention Program for Adolescents in Romania: A Cluster Randomized Trial.

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Implications

Publications

The Short-term Effects of ASPIRA: A Web-based, Multimedia Smoking Prevention Program for Adolescents in Romania: A Cluster Randomized Trial.

Similar Datasets

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