|
The
Florida AHEC Tobacco Program
Originated
as
Partners In Prevention of Substance Abuse (PIPSA)
For students
of Health Professions and in middle school
The Florida AHEC
Tobacco Program, led by Florida's
Area Health Education Centers Program at the University of Florida,
and implemented at the University
of Miami, University of South Florida,
Nova SouthEastern
University and Florida State University,
originated from the 1997 University of Florida's Partners in Prevention
of Substance Abuse (PIPSA) Project. The original UF project also created
the PIPSA Coalition,
now led by former funding partner Corner Drug Store. West
Florida AHEC sponsors Okaloosa-Walton
College to participate in the statewide effort; Gulfcoast
South AHEC also sponsors Manatee
Community College and Lake Erie College
of Osteopathic Medicine.
Health professional
students, faced with the prospect of teaching middle school students,
learn about tobacco in a meaningful mode, utilizing the PIPSA Tobacco
curriculum. Middle school students are particularly receptive to these
young adult role models and the message they bring.
Target Populations:
- Health professions students
are one target group
because they need
more education and practice to deal
with patients who have substance abuse issues.
- Middle school students are
the other target group. Their
risk to begin ATOD abuse is high due to their vulnerability
coupled with suspicion of adults.
The appeal of a health-professions student
as a role model for the middle school student is apparent. Conversely,
professional students will be motivated to learn thoroughly
and in ways that may affect their
personal and professional behaviors.
|
Program Description
at UF:
|
|
- Afternoons of Learning
using large-group lectures and small groups were coordinated
for
  500-650
HSC students (1st-year Medical, 1st-year Dental, 4th-year Nursing
and 5th-year Pharmacy) each year since 1998. Participants use
the PIPSA Tobacco Curriculum ~1 week in
advance. An opening lecture discusses the importance of substance
abuse diagnosis/management, addiction, adolescent development,
and middle school classroom management strategies.
The small interdisciplinary groups then go through PIPSA Workbooks
which guide them to process and exchange information about tobacco
and how to work with middle school students.
- Applied Learning Day
the community outreach component, reinforces the learning
by sending HSC students in
groups of 2-4 to teach area middle school students about ATOD
abuse. "Promoting Health in our Middle Schools"
<Videos>
helps prepare HSC students for the visits. Their teaching
kits include a discussion-trigger videotape and other classroom
teaching aids. Since 1998, UF health professions students
have visited a range of 12,000-17,000 middle school students
in 125+ classrooms/year in 9-11 counties yearly; cumulative
contacts exceed 135,000 middle school students in the UF area,
and @300,000 across Florida. Teachers who would like supplemental
substance abuse Team Packs may contact the Center for Precollegiate
Education and Training (CPET).
- Evaluation: Gratifying
cognitive gain and limited behavioral change by health professional
students is documented. Middle-school host-teacher satisfaction
surveys were very positive; limited data suggests middle school
student tobacco use is decreasing.
For additional information or questions about
PIPSA, contact the
University of Florida
AHEC Program Office
Phone: (352) 273- 8530 Fax:
(352) 392-1022
Sponsored By
|
|