Effects of a Cigarette Smoking Prevention Program
among Junior High School Students in
North-East Thailand: A Pilot Survey
Anun Chaikoolvatana BSc, PharmD, PhD, GTC (Cert.)*, Mereerat Manwong MPH**,
Niyom Junnual MPH**, Cholada Chaikoolvatana MPH, PhD***, Wantanee Thongnun RN****,
Jamsai Apirakmontree BE*****, Areepan Wanchai BE******, Maleewan Pongpaew BE******
Affiliation :
* Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
** College of Medicine and Public Health, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
*** Faculty of Nursing, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand
**** Sapasithiprasong Hospital, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
***** Pratumpithayakom School, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
****** Sripratumpithayakarn School, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
Objective : Evaluate the implementation of a smoking prevention program via a questionnaire. Both knowledge and attitudes
toward smoking behavior and smoking cessation were also investigated.
Material and Method: An experimental study was conducted between October 2011 and July 2012. Two hundred twenty
six school students from Mathayom 1 to 6 participated into the present study. They were divided into either a study group
(n = 99) or a control group (n = 127). Participants in the study group underwent two days of a smoking prevention program
and the control group was not subjected to this program. Both groups completed a questionnaire containing questions
related to the knowledge of the dangers of cigarette, attitudes toward smoking behavior, and smoking cessation at three
different stages, pre-program, immediate post-program, and one month post-program. All data was analyzed via statistical
methods.
Results : Participants in the study group were smokers and non-smokers, aged between 13 and 15, studied in Mathayom
1 to 6. It was reported that 75% of smokers had tried to quit smoking at least once. For those who quit smoking successfully,
83.6% sought advice from their families. Regarding knowledge related to the dangers of cigarettes, the study group had
significantly higher scores than the control group at the three different stages (pre-program, immediate post-program, and
one month post-program p = 0.001, 0.001, and 0.024 respectively). The attitudes toward smoking cessation behavior between
the groups were significantly different at the three different stages (p = 0.03, 0.01, and 0.001 respectively). The influential
factor significantly related to decision-making related to quitting cigarettes was advice, especially from friends and families
(p<0.05).
Conclusion : School students aged between 13 to 15 years of age studying in Mathayom 3 (grade 9) represented the majority
of smokers. The study found the smoking cessation prevention program was able to improve knowledge of the dangers of
cigarettes. After the completion of the program, the effect of factors on their lives such as medical conditions, social norms,
and friends and families made smokers realize the importance of quitting smoking.
Keywords : Cigarette smoking prevention program, Smoking cessation behavior, Smoking cessation
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