Intermediate Health Outcomes to Demonstrate Success in Tobacco Use Prevention/Control

Audience: The audience includes program evaluators, program managers, policymakers, and advocates. It is specifically geared toward those using data to secure tobacco control funding and to advocate for policy change. Key Points: When annual reductions in smoking prevalence are not statistically significant, short and intermediate term indicators, such as changes in social norms and cigarette consumption, can be important for sustainability of funding and demonstrating programmatic success of tobacco use prevention and control programs. The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco Free Living (TFL) has successfully used these indicators to maintain funding. Short and intermediate term changes related to tobacco use norms can be successful political advocacy tools. In Louisiana this type of data has helped persuade policymakers to support the Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act. Educational Experience: Short and intermediate term indicators used in the evaluation of TFL will be presented. Ways in which TFL has utilized short and intermediate term outcomes to support policy change and program sustainability will be described. Benefits: Attendees will learn how to use short and intermediate term indicators to evaluate tobacco use prevention and control programs, to support program sustainability, and to advocate for policy change.