An Integrated Intervention to Reduce Secondhandsmoke in Children

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This is a community essay to assess the effectiveness of a multi-level (individual, family, and school) school-based intervention to prevent the exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) in a population of 1,734 schoolchildren (12-14 years old) in Terrassa (Catalonia, Spain). Schools were assigned to the intervention or the controlgroup at random. The investigators assessed SHS exposure in different settings (at school, at home, on transportation and leisure time) and tobacco consumption by means of a questionnaire before and one year after the intervention. Based on a previously evaluated intervention to prevent smoking initiation (PASE/ESFA program) the investigators designed a new intervention (the RESPIR•NET Program) including two new activities to prevent passive smoking to be applied at three levels: in the classroom (pupils), at the school (pupils, teachers, and parents), and in the family (pupils and parents).

Official Title
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Respiratory Symptoms, Asthma and Passive Smoking in Children: Effectiveness of an Integrated Individual, Family, and School-based Intervention

Conditions
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Secondhand Exposure, Smoking Status

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: RESPIRNET Program


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: all schoolchildren attending the school at the day of interview Exclusion Criteria: absence of school language problems with questionnaire

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 12 Years
Maximum Age: 14 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control<br>Schoolchildren aged 12-13 years in the first year of Compulsory Secondary Education (Enseñanza Secundaria Obligatoria in the Spanish educational system) in the city of Terrassa. The CONTROL arm is formed by schoolchildren in schools that willnot receive the intervention and will continue with ongoing (usual) health education sessions. | |
| Experimental: Intervention<br>The intervention at the classroom consisted of six sessions with the pupils of one hour each that were conducted by the teacher/tutor. We provided the teachers with a training session and a teachers' guide, and we gave each pupil a workbook with the activities. At the school level, the intervention consisted of four types of posters with specific messages directed to students, teachers, and parents, and the fourth poster type advertised the new smoking laws. we gave teachers and school managers the guide Towards a Smoke-Free School to facilitate the prevention and control of smoking (active and passive) in the school environment. Family level activities: Parents were required to complete the My risk thermometer activity at home with their children. Parents received a brochure with information on the risks of SHS exposure and recommendations to prevent SHS exposure, and a refrigerator magnet with the logo of the program. | Behavioral: RESPIRNET Program<br>* The intervention at the classroom consisted of six sessions with the pupils of one hour each that were conducted by the teacher/tutor. We provided the teachers with a training session and a teachers' guide, and we gave each pupil a workbook with the activities. At the school level, the intervention consisted of four types of posters with specific messages directed to students, teachers, and parents, and the fourth poster type advertised the new smoking laws. we gave teachers and school managers the guide Towards a Smoke-Free School to facilitate the prevention and control of smoking (active and passive) in the school environment. Family level activities: Parents were required to complete the My risk thermometer activity at home with their children. Parents received a brochure with information on the risks of SHS exposure and recommendations to prevent SHS exposure, and a refrigerator magnet with the logo of the program.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prevalence of exposure to secondhand smoke | The prevalence of exposure to secondhand smoke is computed by dividing the number of children exposed / total number of children. Exposure to secondhand smoke is obtained using a questionnaire at baseline and one year later. The questionnaire was prepared from previously validated questionnaires on SHS. | 1 year | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prevalence of current smokers | The prevalence of smoking is computed by dividing the number of smoking children / total number of children. Smoker status is obtained using a questionnaire at baseline and one year later. The questionnaire has been previously validated in other investigations. | 1 year | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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tobacco smoke pollution, Tobacco use