Al-Mahrouqi Tamadhir, Al-Ghailani Fida, Al-Maqbali Maryam, Al Saidi Maather, Prashanth Gowda Parameshwara
Department of Behavioral Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
Internship Training Program, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
Sci Rep. 2025 May 2;15(1):15374. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-00165-5.
Adolescent tobacco use is a major public health concern, particularly in sociocultural contexts like Oman, where smoking among males is prevalent. This study evaluates two interventions: a photoaging app (PA) and a school-based educational module (SBM), designed to improve knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward tobacco use in adolescent males. A cluster randomized trial was conducted among public school boys (grades 9-12) in North Al Batinah, Oman. Schools were randomized to receive either PA or SBM interventions. PA used a smartphone app to simulate photoaging effects of smoking, while SBM employed culturally adapted modules based on WHO's Tobacco Health Hazards Toolkit. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included tobacco knowledge, susceptibility scores, and attitudes. A total of 227 students participated. Both interventions significantly improved perceptions of tobacco harm and reduced susceptibility to tobacco use. PA showed a greater effect on enhancing perceptions of harm (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.31-3.20, p = 0.002), while SBM was more effective in fostering support for smoking bans (p = 0.065). Differences in susceptibility were not statistically significant between groups. Both interventions demonstrated effectiveness, with PA excelling in personalized risk communication and SBM promoting community-oriented tobacco control. Hybrid approaches could optimize adolescent tobacco prevention strategies.Trial registration: NCT06483763 (ClinicalTrials.gov).
青少年吸烟是一个重大的公共卫生问题，在阿曼这样的社会文化背景下尤为突出，该国男性吸烟现象普遍。本研究评估了两种干预措施：一款光老化应用程序（PA）和一个基于学校的教育模块（SBM），旨在改善青少年男性对吸烟的认知、态度和行为。在阿曼北巴提奈的公立学校男生（9至12年级）中进行了一项整群随机试验。学校被随机分配接受PA或SBM干预。PA使用智能手机应用程序来模拟吸烟的光老化效果，而SBM采用了基于世界卫生组织《烟草健康危害工具包》并经文化调适的模块。干预前后的评估包括烟草知识、易感性得分和态度。共有227名学生参与。两种干预措施均显著改善了对烟草危害的认知，并降低了吸烟易感性。PA在增强对危害的认知方面效果更显著（比值比2.05，95%置信区间1.31至3.20，p = 0.002），而SBM在促进对禁烟的支持方面更有效（p = 0.065）。两组在易感性方面的差异无统计学意义。两种干预措施均显示出有效性，PA在个性化风险沟通方面表现出色，SBM则促进了以社区为导向的烟草控制。混合方法可以优化青少年烟草预防策略。试验注册：NCT06483763（ClinicalTrials.gov）。
