Abstract:
Background: Smoking among adolescents in Thailand is 11.7 % (20.1 % in males and 3.8 % in females), exceeding levels in neighboring countries. Little has been done to implement adolescent cessation programs nationwide. This study aimed to examine the effects of the Project EX on students’ smoking behaviors, quit rate, and reduction rate. Methods: A total of 98 youth smokers in two schools in Bangkok (52 program, 46 comparison), between 14 and 19 years old, were recruited. Implementation of Project EX followed the standard protocol step by step, 8 sessions, as in the program manual, in which subjects entered cessation groups with pretest, immediate posttest, and 3-month follow-up. Results: Findings showed that 9.6% of the experimental and 2.2% the comparison subjects did not like to quit at the pretest. The average amount of cigarette smoked/day were 5.38 ± 4.774, 5.44 ± 5.418, 4.31 ± 4.119 in project EX and 7.37 ± 7.356, 5.36 ± 3.779, and 4.42 ± 3.941 in comparison at pretest, immediate posttest, and 3-month follow-up. At follow-up, reduction (saliva) were 44.2% in Project EX and 19.6% in comparison (p = .005) and quit rates (confirmed both self-reported smoking behaviors and saliva test) were 7.7% in Project EX and 2.2% in comparison (p = .10). Conclusions: The Project Ex seems to be an effective intervention for tobacco use cessation among school students in Bangkok. This project should be integrated into regular health education subject in Thai schools.
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