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Abstract
Aims: The objective of this study was to evaluate the preventive effect of a clinic-based, emotionally arousing, negative information giving intervention on adolescents’ protective and risk factors of smoking.
Methods: Data of 563 students (18 schools) from a cluster randomized controlled trial conducted in Heidelberg, Germany (2010–2011) were analysed. The intervention included a presentation about the risks of smoking, a live video session of a pulmonary endoscopy and a testimonial interview with a lung cancer patient. A prevention booklet served as the control condition. Students’ reaction to the intervention was assessed after 2 weeks, risk and protective factors of smoking and smoking status were assessed after 2.5 months.
Findings: The clinic intervention received significantly better ratings of credibility, personal relevance and emotional arousal than the booklet. Differences between clinic and booklet groups failed to reach significance on smoking-related threat appraisal, coping appraisal, protection motivation, behavioural intention and smoking status.
Conclusions: Although the clinic intervention generated a significant immediate reaction, there were no significant preventive effects at follow-up. These results are in line with previous research and add further evidence for the ineffectiveness of emotionally arousing negative information giving in smoking prevention with adolescents.
Acknowledgements
Maria Abramidou and Michael Ehmann of the Thoraxklinik Heidelberg provided help in the data collection process. Tessa-Virginia Hannemann, BSc. helped by proofreading the manuscript. We thank the schools, teachers and students, who participated in this study.
Declaration of interest: Dr. Bühler received funding from Pfizer Inc for a study unrelated to this manuscript. This work was supported by a financial grant from Deutsche Lungenstiftung e.V., Celle, the German lung foundation. The funding source had no involvement in the design of the study, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of the data, in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to submit the paper for publication.