Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113369

Jeffrey M. Turell, MD, Ashley B. Schneider, MPH, and Scott, H. Frank, MD, MPH. Division of Public Health, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, WG-74, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, 216-321-5681, jturell@yahoo.com

Objective: SHOUT (Student Health advocates Opposing the Use of Tobacco) is a county-wide initiative designed to support youth tobacco reduction through the development of youth-led advocacy groups referred to as SHOUT teams. Teens “SHOUT against tobacco” through dissemination of powerful, provocative, and truthful messages regarding local tobacco behavior, the addictiveness and harmfulness of tobacco, and the tobacco industry's manipulative targeting of youth. Methods: This presentation will describe the peerHEALTH (peer Health Education and Advocacy for the Logistical Transmission of Heath) model of health promotion utilized in conceptualizing and implementing the SHOUT program. The SHOUT teams utilize locally gathered tobacco use data (n=4,400), allowing targeted efforts and sharing of information about their own communities with their peers. SHOUT team activities include: counter-marketing and public service announcements; clean indoor air advocacy; and tobacco reduction teen events (i.e., Tobacco Free Bowling Night). Young adult mentors are trained in tobacco reduction advocacy to guide SHOUT teens. Presenters will share strategies for training the mentors, recruiting teen involvement, and coordinating with community based advisors. The utility of adult SHOUT teams (i.e. doctorsSHOUT, nursesSHOUT) supporting adolescent teams will be demonstrated. Currently there are 15 SHOUT teams in a diverse set of high schools, middle schools, and community organizations across an urban Midwestern county. Outcome: The SHOUT program is designed to: 1) change individual attitudes and beliefs about tobacco; 2) alter social norms regarding tobacco use; 3) promote clean indoor air advocacy; 4) recruit teen smokers to local cessation programming; and 5) reduce tobacco initiation rates.

Learning Objectives: