BACKGROUND AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES: Electronic cigarettes are spread wide range among Thai youths. They are not recognized the harmfulness and no intention to quit. Early identification and intention is essential to control the epidermic and impaction.
INTERVENTION OR RESPONSE: Nurses design active mobile services to youth in community in 5 provinces in Thailand. They were designed appropriate services to reach youth both risk and smoker group. For risk group, nurses and team apply edutainment integrate electronic cigarette harmfulness on holistic health. Then post learning evaluation regarding electronic cigarette harmful and how to quit. Among smoker group, nurses persuade them to join with individual, group, or family counseling. some group may allow teacher to involve and to be a part of counseling, empowerment and 6 months follow up.
RESULTS AND IMPACT: The 15 communities in 5 provinces were participated in community based approach. Nurses, health care team, community volunteers and teachers were joined as team. About 10,000 youth were screened by history taking. All were educated to counter marketing strategies of electronic cigarette include harmfulness, cigarette impact on economic, social life health and cognitive function, etc. For smoker youth, they were persuaded to join 5As cessation services program. At assessing process, After persuading process, smoker youths were consented and paricipated cessation services, Nurses assess will power, empower them to quit. They would periodically support and follow up at least 6 months.
CONCLUSIONS: Youths who participated in edutainment program, gained hugh recognition on negative impact of e-cigarette at posttest. For smoker youths more than 20 % were successfully quitting after 6 months follow up. More than 15 community alliances were strengthening and be a part of continuing community based program later.
Recommendation, In Thailand, nurses should apply communities based approach program for early detection the new smokers especially e-cigarettes. Then design appropriate program to help them successfully quit as soon as possible.