Interactive Tobacco Cessation for College Students

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed project will develop an interactive hybrid CD-ROM and web site tobacco education and cessation program for 18-24 year old college students. The program will be designed for distribution to young adults identified as tobacco users in college and university health centers, and will provide a non-threatening, easy access tool to encourage and assist college students to quit tobacco use. The Phase I CD-ROM and web site prototype will provide engaging media and motivational feedback in a confidential, user-friendly format that is tailored to the individual's type and level of tobacco use, and designed to move the student forward in the stages of change. The program will deliver personalized information about social smoking, tobacco addiction and risks, misperceptions around tobacco use, and other tobacco issues relevant to college students, such as stress and avoidance of weight gain. In addition, a cessation module will be created for student users who are ready to quit. The program will be developed with input from focus groups of 18-24 year old college students who are occasional or regular cigarette smokers, as well as cigar and smokeless tobacco users. We will draw from the extensive experience of the development team in the areas of tobacco prevention and development of interactive technologies related to tobacco education and cessation. A prototype will be delivered to 50 college students from a four-year public university and 50 students from a two-year community college, and will be evaluated using a pro and post assessment of attitudes, knowledge, perceived risk, intentions to continue, decrease or quit using tobacco, and consumer satisfaction. Phase II goals will be to expand and revise the program based on the Phase I evaluation and user feedback. Phase II will develop a marketable CD-ROM and web site with additional web site links and options that broaden the program's content. The final product will be marketed to college and university health centers, health care providers, state tobacco control programs and clearinghouses, and other venues that deal with health and tobacco education in young adults and college students.