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. 1998 Nov;88(11):1658–1663. doi: 10.2105/ajph.88.11.1658

Neighbors for a smoke free north side: evaluation of a community organization approach to promoting smoking cessation among African Americans.

E B Fisher 1, W F Auslander 1, J F Munro 1, C L Arfken 1, R C Brownson 1, N W Owens 1
PMCID: PMC1508568  PMID: 9807532

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated a community organization approach that emphasized involvement of audiences in program planning and implementation in promoting nonsmoking among African American residents of low-income neighborhoods. METHODS: The quasi-experimental design involved a 24-month intervention in 3 low-income, predominantly African American neighborhoods in St. Louis. Intervention neighborhoods were compared with comparable, untreated neighborhoods in Kansas City. RESULTS: The program was successful in engaging audience members in its governance and in instigating numerous and diverse neighborhood activities to promote nonsmoking. The prevalence of smoking declined from 34% to 27% in program neighborhoods but only from 34% to 33% in comparison neighborhoods. This difference was apparent within all demographically defined subsamples, indicating that observed changes were consistent and not attributable to confounding by demographic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: A community organization approach emphasizing local authority for program decisions and involvement of informal networks may have an appreciable impact on smoking among residents of low-income, African American neighborhoods.

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Selected References

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