%0 Journal Article
%T Comparing effects of tobacco use prevention modalities: need for complex system models
%A Sussman Steve
%A Levy David
%A Lich Kristen Hassmiller
%A Cen¨¦ Crystal W
%J Tobacco Induced Diseases
%D 2013
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1617-9625-11-2
%X Many modalities of tobacco use prevention programming have been implemented including various policy regulations (tax increases, warning labels, limits on access, smoke-free policies, and restrictions on marketing), mass media programming, school-based classroom education, family involvement, and involvement of community agents (i.e., medical, social, political). The present manuscript provides a glance at these modalities to compare relative and combined impact of them on youth tobacco use. In a majority of trials, community-wide programming, which includes multiple modalities, has not been found to achieve impacts greater than single modality programming. Possibly, the most effective means of prevention involves a careful selection of program type combinations. Also, it is likely that a mechanism for coordinating maximally across program types (e.g., staging of programming) is needed to encourage a synergistic impact. Studying tobacco use prevention as a complex system is considered as a means to maximize effects from combinations of prevention types. Future studies will need to more systematically consider the role of combined programming.
%K Relative effects
%K Tobacco use
%K Prevention
%U http://www.tobaccoinduceddiseases.com/content/11/1/2