Evaluations

Foundation staff conduct in-depth evaluation of the community programs throughout implementation to ensure that each program is being completed as designed. VTSF staff review each grant as it is administered, including evaluating quarterly reports and conducting site visits to see the programs in action. In addition, the Foundation contracted with Virginia Commonwealth University to evaluate the programs on a statewide level to gauge their effectiveness, and to identify factors that will assist in developing and selecting effective youth tobacco use prevention programs in the future.

Statewide Program Evaluation Summary

The Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation (VTSF) provides funding to organizations throughout the state of Virginia offering tobacco-prevention or smoking cessation programs to youth. Each of these funded agencies provides one or more compendium or supplemental programs specified by the VTSF and recognized by national and state organizations as a model, effective or promising tobacco prevention program.

Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) Community Health Research Initiative (CHRI) provides a comprehensive evaluation of the programs conducted by VTSF grantees serving youth ages 9 and older. The evaluation instruments consist of pre-tests and post-tests designed by the VTSF to measure the VTSF’s core objectives, and were appropriately designed for two distinct age groups: (Level 2) second through fifth grade, and (Level 3) sixth through twelfth grade.

The VTSF measures five core objectives: Current Tobacco Use; Intention to Smoke; Perceived Benefits of Remaining Tobacco Free; Knowledge about the Harmful Effects of Tobacco; and Self-Efficacy.

2004 – 2005 Grant Year Statewide Outcomes

Students in grades 2-5 demonstrated:

1. an increase in knowledge about the harmful effects of tobacco;
2. stronger rejection toward smoking; and
3. stronger resistance to peer pressure

Students in grades 6-12 demonstrated:

1. a decrease in current tobacco use;
2. a decrease in intentions to use tobacco;
3. an increase in the perceived benefits of remaining tobacco free;
4. an increase in knowledge about the harmful effects of tobacco; and
5. an increase in self-efficacy.

2005 – 2006 Grant Year Statewide Outcomes

Students in grades 2-5 demonstrated:

1. an increase in knowledge about the harmful effects of tobacco; and
2. stronger rejection toward smoking.

Students in grades 6-12 demonstrated:

1. a decrease in intentions to use tobacco in the long term;
2. an increase in the perceived benefits of remaining tobacco free; and
3. an increase in self-efficacy.