New Study Targets Youth Nicotine in Rural Schools

A new three-year research project has begun in Arkansas to address nicotine use among rural middle school students.

Ashley Clawson, an associate professor in the Health Behavior and Health Education department at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, leads the study. The project, titled Improving School-Parent Coordination to Prevent Nicotine Use Among Rural Youth, launched in September 2026.

The National Institutes of Health National Heart Lung and Blood Institute provides $711,000 in funding for the work. Clawson plans to use the grant to develop a tool that identifies and addresses barriers to implementing youth nicotine prevention efforts in rural areas of the state.

The study focuses on sixth-grade students attending schools classified as rural by the National Center for Educational Statistics. Investigators will recruit participants from every region of Arkansas. The goal is to create a coordinated intervention that combines a school-based prevention program with a parent-based prevention program.

Clawson noted that her previous research identified nicotine use among Arkansas youths as a major issue. She found that school professionals often lack the resources to implement evidence-based prevention plans. Data also indicates that parents, including those who use nicotine themselves, generally want their children to avoid tobacco products.

The research process involves discussing evidence-based school and family approaches with participants. Schools, parents, and students will identify specific barriers to delivering these programs at home and in the classroom. The team will also ask students about the most effective ways to keep them engaged in the prevention activities.

Clawson is partnering with Stanford University for the project. She will work with the Stanford team to adapt their existing school-based prevention toolkit using feedback collected from Arkansas schools and families. This adaptation aims to create strategies that help schools and parents overcome local barriers and increase student engagement.

The project is scheduled to run through May 2029. Clawson stated that her goal is to help improve the health of Arkansas families by helping students remain nicotine free. She noted that this effort aims to prevent the burden of tobacco-caused disease that affects many Arkansans.