Hybrid Learning and Prevention Program Reduces Teen Substance Use

Mary Cunningham — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 21:09:45 +0000

Hybrid Learning and Prevention Program Reduces Teen Substance Use Mary Cunningham Thu, 08/18/2022 - 17:09

In This Story

Hybrid school-based programs for preventing substance abuse offer considerable public health potential.

Professor of Global and Community Health Kenneth Griffin

Approximately 90% of adults who meet the criteria for drug addiction started using before they were 18. School-based drug abuse prevention programs can be highly effective in reducing the onset and escalation of substance use, but new strategies are needed to overcome barriers to implementing effective prevention programs, such as reduced classroom time.

A new study from Professor of Global and Community Health Kenneth Griffin shows that a hybrid school-based substance abuse prevention program was effective at reducing multiple forms of substance use among middle school students. Students who received the hybrid prevention program (combining online e-learning modules and in-class sessions) showed significantly less cigarette smoking, e-cigarette and vaping use, excess alcohol use, marijuana use, and prescription drug misuse compared to students who received standard health education.

Major barriers to successful in-class only programs include the amount of class time programs require and the challenge of implementing programs with high levels of fidelity to their original design. The hybrid program effectively addressed both of these barriers.

“Hybrid digital approaches to prevent substance use in adolescents, such as those tested in this study, offer the potential for delivering program content in a time-efficient and standardized manner,” said Griffin. “Additionally, the hybrid approach reserves class time for in-person interactive activities such as small-group discussion and skills practice, which have been shown to be core components of effective prevention programming.”

Students in the hybrid intervention group also reported increased overall health knowledge, skills knowledge, and improvements in life skills including decision-making, coping with anxiety and anger, effective communication, social skills, assertiveness, and conflict resolution.

Twenty-three middle schools across the United States participated in the study. The content for the e-learning program was adapted from the evidence-based Life Skills Training (LST) classroom program. The self-paced e-learning portion efficiently presents information and promotes knowledge acquisition, while in-person class time provided opportunities for the application and practice of the knowledge and skills taught through the online e-learning program.

“Effectiveness of a hybrid digital substance abuse prevention approach combining e-learning and in-person class sessions” was published in Frontiers in Digital Health in August 2022.

This study was funded by the National Institutes on Drug Abuse, and the program was developed by National Health Promotion Associates, where Griffin is currently a consultant. The consulting arrangement has been disclosed and approved.

Topics

Panagiota Kitsantas, PhD

admin_alpha — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 23:24:01 +0000

Panagiota Kitsantas, PhD admin_alpha Tue, 10/20/2015 - 19:24

Professor, HAP

Contact Information

Email: pkitsant@gmu.edu

Phone: 703-993-9164
Building: Peterson Hall
Room 4412

CV

Download Panagiota Kitsantas curriculum vitae (CV) here.

Biography

Dr. Yiota Kitsantas, Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology in the Department of Health Administration and Policy, has extensive research experience in the fields of child and maternal health, especially around utilizing data mining techniques to address various public health issues in these populations. In her research, the use of these methodologies and large exiting data sets have addressed research gaps pertaining to risk profiles of childhood obesity, prenatal alcohol use, pregnancy likelihood in young adults and several other research topics. She collaborates with a large number of researchers from various areas and serves as a biostatistics consultant on numerous projects. In one of the most recent projects, Dr. Kitsantas served as a biostatistician and co-Investigator on a funded project by the National Institutes of Health (R15 grant) to examine rapid weight gain among infants of low income Hispanic immigrant mothers. Dr. Kitsantas serves on editorial boards and as a reviewer for various peer-reviewed journals related to maternal and child health. She has published manuscripts in peer reviewed journals such as the Journal of Asthma, Journal of Perinatal Medicine, Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Childhood Obesity, Public Health, Women’s Health Issues, Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, Early Human Development, among others. Dr. Kitsantas frequently presents research findings at national and international conferences.

Research

Research Interests

Applying data mining techniques and methods of categorical data analysis to investigate public health related issues in the fields of maternal and infant health and substance abuse among adolescents

Select Publications

Kitsantas, P., & Aguisanda, F. (2016). Risk of Asthma among Adolescents with Obesity Exposed to Environmental Tobacco Smoke. Journal of Asthma, 53(1), 25-29.

Kitsantas, P., Gallo, S., Palla, H., Nguyen, V., & Gaffney, K.F. (2016). Nature and Nurture in the Development of Childhood Obesity: Early Infant Feeding Practices of Overweight/Obese Mothers Differ Compared to Mothers of Normal Body Mass Index. Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 29(2), 290-293.

Kornides, M., Kitsantas, P., Lindley, L., & Wu, C. (2015). Factors associated with young adults' pregnancy likelihood. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 60(2), 158-168.

Kitsantas, P., Gaffney, K.F., & Wu, H. (2015). Identifying high-risk subgroups for alcohol consumption among younger and older pregnant women. Journal of Perinatal Medicine, 43(1), 43-52.

Kitsantas, P., Gaffney, K.F., Castello, J., & Wu, H. (2014). Determinants of alcohol cessation, reduction and no reduction during pregnancy. Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 289(4), 771-779.

Kornides, M., & Kitsantas, P. (2013). Evaluation of Breastfeeding Promotion, Support, and Knowledge of Benefits on Breastfeeding Outcomes. Journal of Child Health Care, 17(3), 264-273.

Kitsantas, P., Kornides, M., Cantiello, J., & Wu, H. (2013). Chronic physical health conditions among Children of Different Racial/Ethnic Backgrounds. Public Health, 127(6),546-553.

Grants

"Evidence NOW: Advancing Heart Health in Primary Care, Heart of Virginia Healthcare," Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), subcontract with Virginia Commonwealth University. Goldberg, D. (Principal Investigator), 2017-2018. Role: Biostatistician. $414,755.

"Rapid Weight Gain among Infants of Low Income Hispanic Immigrant Mothers," National Institutes of Health (R15). Gaffney, K. (Principal Investigator), 2014-2018. Role: Co-Investigator. $445,704.

"Prenatal Alcohol Consumption and Maternal and Infant Health," National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (R03). 2017 (in progress). Role: Principal Investigator (Gaffney, K., Co-Investigator). $50,000 (pending).

"Artificial Intelligence in Data Analysis," U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Research & Development. Wojtusiak, J. (Principal Investigator), 2013-2014. Role: Co-Investigator. $200,000.

"Quality of life indicators among residents in assisted living communities," The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA). Gimm, G. (Principal Investigator), 2012-2014. Role: Co-Investigator. $97,000.

"Predictors of Excessive Weight Gain among Infants of Low Income Hispanic Mothers: A Comparison with the National Infant Feeding Practices Study-II," Mason-Inova Fund. Gaffney, K. (Principal Investigator), 2012-2014. Role: Co-Investigator. $49,000.

"Determinants of Alcohol Reduction and Cessation during Pregnancy," Foundation for Alcohol Research. 2012-2013. Role: Principal Investigator (Gaffney, K., Co-Investigator). $37,000.

"Child Health Outcomes, Vaccination Patterns and Familial Genetic Risk," National Vaccination Information Center. Debold, V. (Principal Investigator), 2011-2013. Role: Co-Investigator. $70,000.

"Comparison of Health and Utilization Outcomes among Fully and Never Vaccinated Children," National Vaccination Information Center. Debold, V. (Principal Investigator), 2010-2013. Role: Biostatistician. $50,000.

"Novel risk factors and management strategies for transient ischemic attack (TIA) and stroke: The INOVA Fairfax Stroke Database," GMU Office of the Vice President, Research & Economic Development. 2010-2011. Role: Principal Investigator (Benson, R., Co-Investigator). $10,000.

"The 2008 ECLS-B Training Seminar: The role of Maternal pregravid BMI in overweight and obesity among preschoolers," U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. 2007-2008. Role: Principal Investigator. $1,000.

"Availability and access to substance abuse programs in correctional settings," National Institute of Drug Abuse, Development opportunity/contract (Department of Criminal Justice, GMU). Taxman, F. (Principal Investigator), 2007-2008. Role: Biostatistician. $40,000.

"Fetal growth and onset of delivery in infants with birth defects," ��AV, Summer Research Funding for Tenure-Track Faculty, Office of the Vice President Research and Economic Development. 2007-2008. Role: Principal Investigator. $5,600.

"Assessing the role of intrauterine growth retardation in preterm births among infants with birth defects," East Carolina University, College Research Award. 2005-2006. Role: Principal Investigator. Sabbatical.

Honors and Awards

Teacher of Distinction Award, 2014, ��AV
Career Connection Faculty Award, 2014, ��AV

Affiliations

Member

2012-Present, Member of the APHA Maternal & Child Health Section Committee & Abstract Reviewer

American Public Health Association
Member

American Statistical Association
Member

2012-Present, Member of the Career Mentoring Committee

American College of Epidemiology
Member

Abstract reviewer

Maternal & Child Health Epidemiology, CDC

Degrees

PhD, Statistics, Florida State University
MS, Statistics, Florida State University
MS, Health Sciences, James Madison University