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HYSQ - Phase I:
National Surveillance of Existing Programs

Phase I of HYSQ identified and characterized existing smoking cessation programs for youth in a representative sample of 408 counties in the United States. To develop this sample, a sampling frame of 2,453 U.S. counties was stratified by four criteria (i.e., urbanization, socio-economic status, youth smoking prevalence and state-level tobacco control expenditures), and counties were selected with probability proportion to size of youth population.

Through a snowball sampling process starting in four county “sectors” (i.e., departments of health, departments of education, voluntary organizations and other known program supporters), program informants were identified within each of the sampled counties. 

Once identified, programs were screened to determine eligibility as a “youth smoking cessation program.” Eligible programs were defined as any voluntary or mandatory program that: 

1. Was established at least 6 months prior to the HYSQ evaluation; 
2. Provides direct tobacco cessation services; 
3. Provides services primarily to individuals aged 12-24; and
4. Is not already part of a research initiative.  

For those deemed eligible, program administrators completed a 45-minute telephone-administered survey. Phase I data collection ended in July 2003. A total of 591 program characteristic surveys were completed. 

The Phase I surveillance methods can be viewed in greater detail in this slide presentation.

Presentations and publications of the Phase I data are included in the Publications section of this Web site as they become available. 

The Phase I program survey included questions about:

• Community Context:
• Concerns, priorities and program support in the local community
   
• Organizational Setting:
• Program setting, funding, staffing, and program selection process
   
• Participants:
• Recruitment and retention
• Demographics (age, gender, race and ethnicity)
   
• Program Implementation:
• Format
• Length
• Written or audio-visual materials
   
• Program Content:
• Incentives
• Cessation strategies
• Youth developmental issues
   
• Program Evaluation:
• Evaluation tools
• Use of external evaluators

Read the Phase I Program Characteristics Survey here.