FUERTE

FUERTE integrates innovative with well-tested methods for cigarette smoking prevention among Latino youth. Building on the Latin American tradition of community health advisors, and strong familialism, we recruit and train urban high school students to mentor and teach middle school students (MSS) about the dangers of tobacco and ways to prevent peer and other pressure to smoke. Rather than large classroom interventions, these high school advisors (HSAs) recruit families with a child of middle school age from neighborhoods near their schools. HSAs meet with the MSS and their families to teach them about:

A) the dangers of tobacco;
B) peer and media pressure to use tobacco
C) appropriate refusal behaviors;
D) community resources.

Additionally, the intervention focuses on improving self-esteem and family communication about health related behaviors to encourage parents and other family members to support their middle school-aged relative in remaining Smoke free.