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Dissertation Information for Swati Raychowdhury

NAME:
- Swati Raychowdhury

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Health Sciences

SCHOOL:
- Indiana University (USA) (2005)

ADVISORS:
- David Lohrmann

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- David M. Koceja
- Catherine M Sherwood-Puzello
- Chalmer Thompson

MPACT Status: Incomplete - Not_Inspected

Title: Employing formative research to conceptualize an oral cancer prevention program for college students

Abstract: Oral cancer is a significant public health problem. Due to a combination of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use, individuals as young as 20 have been diagnosed with this disease. This formative research investigation assessed college students' knowledge, attitudes, motivations, and behaviors related to oral cancer prevention in order to inform the eventual development of a targeted prevention program.

Convenience sampling was used to survey 1,003 undergraduate students at one public university. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) sought to determine if the select variables (motivations, perceived risks, influential individuals, and factors that facilitate and discourage use) were able to predict group membership for users of combined cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana from nonusers. Multiple regression analysis (MR) determined the amount of variance in use behaviors accounted for by the knowledge, attitudes, peer perceptions, motivations, gender, age, and ethnicity of the participants.

DFA found that user status could be categorized by the predictor variables and, with two exceptions, all discriminant function models tested were significant (p < .01). MR of the independent variables to predict the combined drug use resulted in significant regression models across all combined use behaviors. The best predictor for extent of use was the participants' attitudes towards drug use scale. The more negative the attitudes about drug use, the less likely participants are to use.

Further formative research involving the predictor variables and their relationship with college students' use behaviors should be conducted to better inform secondary prevention strategies.

MPACT Scores for Swati Raychowdhury

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2010-10-06 18:26:34

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