This research will explore the feasibility of leveraging social network analysis to identify 6th grade opinion leaders to lead a school-based e-cigarette intervention. The project will be conducted for 6th graders in 8 schools in the Pittsburgh area.
Specific Aim 1: Participants will be recruited from 8 Pittsburgh-area schools. The investigators will conduct a social network survey for all 6th graders in each school. Students will be asked to identify their closest peers based on several relationship dynamics: friendship, opinion leadership, academic support, and personal support. Specific Aim 2: The investigators will adapt modules from CATCH My Breath, an evidence-based, school-implemented e-cigarette intervention supported by University of Texas and MD Anderson Cancer Center. The 8 schools will be randomized to receive the intervention led by either (1) an adult content-expert or (2) a peer-nominated opinion leader to students who nominated them or (3) a peer-nominated opinion leader to students who did not nominate them. Surveys will be administered before and after the intervention. Primary outcomes will be acceptability and feasibility measures, including (1) recruitment and (2) retention rates. Secondary outcomes will include e-cigarette use, intention-to-use e-cigarettes, and knowledge about e-cigarettes.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
686
The intervention will be given to students by a peer opinion leader that the students in the audience elected. The intervention is a version of CATCH My Breath curriculum that has been modified to facilitate peer leadership.
The intervention will be given to students by an adult. The intervention is a version of CATCH My Breath curriculum that has been modified to match the Peer-Led Intervention curriculum but is able to be administered by an adult.
The intervention will be given to students by a peer opinion leader that was elected by other students. The intervention is a version of CATCH My Breath curriculum that has been modified to facilitate peer leadership.
UPMC
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Acceptability: follow-up survey
Acceptability of the intervention will be assessed via the follow-up survey administrated to students following the program. 1. Do you feel the lessons were appropriate for the subject? 2. Were you confident in the person conducting the lesson? Questions will be measured in a 5 point Likert scale.
Time frame: 5 months
Feasibility: recruitment and retention rates
Feasibility of the intervention will be assessed via the recruitment and retention rates. 1. Recruitment = number of students who agree to participate / number of students in school 2. Retention = number of students who completed the program / number of students who began the program
Time frame: 5 months
Intention-to-use and knowledge about e-cigarettes (based on National Youth Tobacco Survey)
Intention-to-use and knowledge about e-cigarettes will be assessed via the e-cigarette survey that will be administered after the program. Measures are adapted from the National Youth Tobacco Survey.
Time frame: 5 months
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