CORRELATES OF PARTICIPATION AND WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE IN ANTI-TOBACCO ACTIVITIES AMONG 4TH-7TH GRADERS

The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with participation and willingness to participate in anti-tobacco community activities in 4-7th grade students. A probability sample was drawn from seven regions in Florida (n = 1219). Telephone interviews assessed socioeconomic status, tobacco use, knowledge, and attitudes, and exposure to anti-tobacco school education and media campaigns. Factors related to both participation and willingness included: parental discussion of tobacco use, exposure to school courses with anti-tobacco curricula and a belief that youth could convince their friends to stop smoking. Additional participation correlates included: parental smoking status and student government activity participation. Additional willingness correlates included: exposure to anti-tobacco television campaigns, liking school, and several tobacco-related knowledge and attitudinal questions. These findings suggest that exposure to community-based tobacco control programs and family discussion of tobacco use is associated with regular participation and or willingness of youth to participate in anti-tobacco activities.