The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: The C.E.A.S.E. (Changing Environment and Attitudes for Smoking Elimination) Project is funded by the Ohio Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Foundation to reduce tobacco use among African American adults; educate adults and youth of the dangers of secondhand smoke; and prevent tobacco use among youth in Central Ohio through faith-based and culturally specific approaches.

Methods: The Project engaged and trained twenty (20) local African American churches to provide tobacco cessation classes to adult smokers using a modified Stages of Change model enhanced with African American faith-based imagery; secondhand smoke presentations to youth and adults using “Not in My Temple” curriculum; and tobacco prevention classes to youth using a modified Office of National Drug Control Policy prevention model.

Results: The cessation program enrolled 35 adults with six (6) participants reported being tobacco-free after the six week session. Approximately 61.2% reported that the cessation program had helped them to use less tobacco. The prevention program found that 59 % of the youth reported never using tobacco products. Sixty-five (65%) percent of the youth reported an intent to never use tobacco. The average age of participants was 14.5 years old. The secondhand smoke program found that 77% of the participants who attended the workshop had increased their awareness and knowledge of the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. Each of the church partners has a posted tobacco free policy in their buildings.