Volume 31, Issue 5: October, 2004

Abstract

The North Carolina Youth Empowerment Study (NC YES): A Participatory Research Study Examining the Impact of Youth Empowerment for Tobacco Use Prevention

Kurt M. Ribisl, PhD, Allan Steckler, DrPH, Laura Linnan, ScD, Carol C. Patterson, MA, Eric S. Pevzner, MPH, Elizabeth Markatos, MPH, Adam O. Goldstein, MD, MPH, Tim McGloin, MPH, and Arlana Bobo Peterson, MPH


This article describes the North Carolina Youth Empowerment Study (NC YES), a 3-year participatory evaluation of youth programs addressing tobacco use prevention. The study goals of NCYES were to (1) convene an advisory board comprised of lay youths and adults in a participatory research process, (2) document the characteristics of youth programs for tobacco use prevention and control in North Carolina, and (3) track the role of youth involvement in initiating and implementing 100% tobacco-free policies in local school districts. The NC YES Statewide Advisory Board helped guide the evaluation process, reviewed study protocols and data collection instruments, and helped interpret preliminary findings. Both quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g., telephone interviews and written questionnaires) were used to gather data from youth and adult leaders to achieve these aims. Lessons learned about the process of conducting participatory evaluation approaches and summary findings about the role of youths in policy advocacy efforts are presented.
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