Effectiveness of a school nurse-delivered smoking-cessation intervention for adolescents.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a school nurse-delivered smoking-cessation intervention in increasing abstinence among adolescent smokers.

Methods: Thirty-five high schools were pair-matched and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 conditions, each of which consisted of 4 visits with the school nurse: (1) counseling intervention using the 5 A's model and cognitive-behavioral techniques; or (2) an information-attention control condition. Adolescents (n = 1068) who reported past 30-day smoking and interest in quitting completed surveys at baseline and at 3 and 12 months and provided saliva samples for biochemical validation of reported smoking abstinence.

A school nurse-delivered adolescent smoking cessation intervention: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of a school nurse-delivered smoking cessation intervention to improve abstinence rates among adolescents interested in quitting.

Methods: Seventy-one high schools in Massachusetts were randomized to either a four-session one-on-one school nurse-delivered smoking cessation intervention (37 schools, n = 571) or usual smoking cessation care control condition (34 schools, n = 577). Adolescents in grades 9-12 who smoked in the past 30 days completed surveys at baseline, 6 weeks and 3 months.

Guidelines for managing life-threatening food allergies in Massachusetts schools.

During the past decade, prevalence of food allergies among children increased. Caring for children with life-threatening food allergies has become a major challenge for school personnel. Prior to 2002, Massachusetts did not provide clear guidelines to assist schools in providing a safe environment for these children and preparing for an emergency response to unintended allergic reactions.