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Department of Family Medicine
Health Promotion: Smokeless Tobacco Study
According to the CDC's 1997 Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance Survey
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Usage of tobacco products by adolescents rose
by one-third between 1991 and 1997 (from 27.5% to 36.4%)
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15.8% of male high school students had used
chewing tobacco or snuff in the last month
Other Research Findings
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Higher usage found among high school
athletes vs. non-athletes
Davis, et al (1997)
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Smokeless tobacco is highly addictive
Henningfield, et al, (1997)
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Linked to cancer of oral cavity and
increased risk of cancer of esophagus, larynx, and stomach
Andrews, et al (1999)
While smoking rates have gone down in recent years in the United States,
rates of teen smoking have increased and the use of smokeless tobacco has
increased. There are two purposes to this study:
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determine usage rates of smokeless tobacco among
a population of student athletes from middle and high schools in Augusta,
Georgia and surrounding counties
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determine effectiveness of an educational
intervention
Students are enrolled in the study as they present for sports physicals. They
complete a questionnaire about tobacco usage with emphasis on smokeless tobacco
and are given a packet of educational information. A sample of students who are
identified as users (n=50) and a sample of those identified as non-users (n=50)
are given a video about the hazards of smokeless tobacco which encourages
cessation in addition to their educational information.
Follow up at 3 and 12 months will determine any effects on usage rates as a
result of the educational interventions and any effects of the video.
References
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Andrews J, Severson H, Lichtenstein E, Gordon J,
et al. Evaluation of a dental office tobacco cessation program: Effects on
smokeless tobacco use. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 1999;21(1):48-53.
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Davis T, Arnold C, Nandy I, Bocchini J, et al.
Tobacco use among male high school athletes. Journal of Adolescent Health
1997;21(2):97-101.
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Henningfield J, Fant R, Tomar S. Smokeless
tobacco: An addicting drug. Advances in Dental Research 1997;11:330-335.
Contact Information
Dr. Peggy J. Wagner
Research Director
Email: pwagner@mcg.edu
(706) 721-7589 |
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