TY - JOUR
T1 - Diffusion of an effective tobacco prevention program. Part I
T2 - Evaluation of the dissemination phase
AU - Brink, Susan G.
AU - Basen-Engquist, Karen M.
AU - O'Hara-Tompkins, Nancy M.
AU - Parcel, Guy S.
AU - Gottlieb, Nell H.
AU - Lovato, Chris Y.
N1 - Funding Information:
Supported by NCI Grant #5 RO1 CA45970
PY - 1995/9
Y1 - 1995/9
N2 - As health promotion methods are proven effective, the diffusion and widespread implementation of successful programs can significantly reduce behaviors that pose risks to health within a targeted population. The Smart Choices Diffusion Project developed and evaluated a dissemination intervention program that targeted 128 school districts in east Texas. The project employed a theory-based model to disseminate information about a proven tobacco prevention program to opinion leaders in each district. These opinion leaders were asked to personally communicate the program information within their district using a videotape and printed materials, and advocate for program adoption. In addition to personal communication, a news-letter linked school districts. Opinion leaders in 52% of the districts showed the videotape, which modeled program adoption. A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the impact of the dissemination phase on teachers' and administrators' readiness to adopt a tobacco prevention program. Evaluation of the dissemination phase revealed no differences between the intervention and comparison districts in a district's readiness to adopt a tobacco prevention program. However, in intervention districts where school administrators viewed the video-tape, the administrators were more likely to perceive the innovative program as having a relative advantage and to perceive their district's organizational and social environment as supportive of adopting the program.
AB - As health promotion methods are proven effective, the diffusion and widespread implementation of successful programs can significantly reduce behaviors that pose risks to health within a targeted population. The Smart Choices Diffusion Project developed and evaluated a dissemination intervention program that targeted 128 school districts in east Texas. The project employed a theory-based model to disseminate information about a proven tobacco prevention program to opinion leaders in each district. These opinion leaders were asked to personally communicate the program information within their district using a videotape and printed materials, and advocate for program adoption. In addition to personal communication, a news-letter linked school districts. Opinion leaders in 52% of the districts showed the videotape, which modeled program adoption. A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the impact of the dissemination phase on teachers' and administrators' readiness to adopt a tobacco prevention program. Evaluation of the dissemination phase revealed no differences between the intervention and comparison districts in a district's readiness to adopt a tobacco prevention program. However, in intervention districts where school administrators viewed the video-tape, the administrators were more likely to perceive the innovative program as having a relative advantage and to perceive their district's organizational and social environment as supportive of adopting the program.
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U2 - 10.1093/her/10.3.283
DO - 10.1093/her/10.3.283
M3 - Article
C2 - 10158026
AN - SCOPUS:0029134847
SN - 0268-1153
VL - 10
SP - 283
EP - 295
JO - Health education research
JF - Health education research
IS - 3
ER -