Abstract
BackgroundAfter the US Surgeon General declared youth electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use an epidemic in 2018, the number of youth e-cigarette users continued to surge, growing from 3.8 million in 2018 to over 5 million 2019. Youth who use e-cigarettes are at a substantially higher risk of transitioning to traditional cigarettes, becoming regular cigarette smokers, and increasing their risk of developing tobacco-related cancer.A majority of youth are misinformed about e-cigarettes, often believing they are not harmful or contain no nicotine. Middle school students using e-cigarettes have been affected by its normalization leading to influence by their peers. However, social and group dynamics can be leveraged for a school-based peer-led intervention to identify and recruit student leaders to be anti-e-cigarette champions to prevent e-cigarette initiation. This study outlines a project to use social network analysis to identify student opinion-leaders in schools and train them to conduct anti-e-cigarette programming to their peers.MethodsIn the 2019–2020 academic school year, 6th grade students from nine schools in the Pittsburgh area were recruited. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with three arms—expert, elected peer-leader, and random peer-leader—for e-cigarette programming. Sixth grade students in each school completed a network survey that assessed the friendship networks in each class. Students also completed pre-intervention and post-intervention surveys about their intention-to-use, knowledge, and attitudes towards e-cigarettes. Within each peer-led arm, social network analysis was conducted to identify peer-nominated opinion leaders. An e-cigarette prevention program was administered by (1) an adult content-expert, (2) a peer-nominated opinion leader to assigned students, or (3) a peer-nominated opinion leader to random students.DiscussionThis study is the first to evaluate the feasibility of leveraging social network analysis to identify 6th grade opinion leaders to lead a school-based e-cigarette intervention.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04083469. Registered on September 10, 2019.
Highlights
After the US Surgeon General declared youth electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use an epidemic in 2018, the number of youth e-cigarette users continued to surge, growing from 3.8 million in 2018 to over 5 million 2019
We will still calculate the standard deviation of the differences between the intervention and control groups. This pilot trial is the first to evaluate the feasibility of leveraging social network analysis to identify 6th grade opinion leaders to lead a school-based e-cigarette intervention
The project was conducted in nine schools in the Pittsburgh area
Summary
Trial design We conducted an open randomized controlled trial (RCT) with three arms—expert, elected peer-leader, and random peer-leader—for e-cigarette prevention programming. Once the peer-leaders were identified, we conducted 2 days of training to provide the skills necessary for them to lead other students in e-cigarette prevention programming. Peer leaders were selected based on a weighted in-degree centrality ranking Both the size of each group and the number of opinion leaders were informed by SNA and varied in each class; approximately 4–6 students were targeted to each peer-leader. Outcomes Primary outcomes are satisfaction with the intervention program, including (1) appropriateness of the lessons, (2) peer-leader confidence, (3) students’ opinions of the lessons, and (4) student recruitment and retention rates. These data will be collected immediately after completion of the program. We will still calculate the standard deviation of the differences between the intervention and control groups
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
