Evaluation of effectiveness of peer education on smoking behavior among high school students

Smoking is the most important cause of disability, death and preventable diseasesin the world and in Turkey. According to the Global Youth Survey, smokingrates among men increased to 10.2% and increased to 5.3% among females. . Smoking is spreading with an increasing rate among youth. Aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of peer education on changing the smoking behaviour of high-schoolers?. This is an interventional study. In this study transtheoretical model which is one of the cognitive-behavioral models was used forapplicationof the peer education. Study was conducted at 2 high-schools in Balcova district of Izmir during 2011-2012 education period and 79.1% of the students were contacted. Questionnaires were given to the students with closed envelopes and participants were asked to write their name-surname on the question form. Two student groups were formed from the volunteers from two schools and each group were trained for 5 hours and small group discussion was made after training session. 80.5% of the students were 16-17 years old, 57.4 % of the students were female. 23.4% of the students were using anyof tobacco products.While half of the students were using only cigarette, 25% of the students were using just narghile.One fifth of the students started smoking before age of 13 and most of them tried cigarette because of curiosity. One-third of the students? mother, half of the students? father and one-fourth of the students? friends were using one of the tobacco products.Most of the students were talking with their friends about the harmsof smoking and smoking cessation. A positive behavioural change among smoker students was observed after peer education. Number of students in precontemplation stage was reduced, students in stages of preparation/determination,action (quit smoking less than 6 months).and maintenance was increased. Peer education is an appropriate method for application of behavioural change. Considering the effect of peer groups on youth behaviour, peer education should be preferred to provide changes in use of tobacco products, alcohol and substance. Educations should be given longer, more intensive and continuouslyto increase theeffectiveness of peer education. Key Words: Adolescent, Transtheoretical Model , peer education.