Community organization may enlist neighborhood formal and informal networks to promote nonsmoking among low income black Americans. An 18- month, Nonsmoking Promotion Program stressing broad promotion of smoking cessation through informal networks will (a) be implemented through a social welfare agency which emphasizes program direction and implementation by neighborhood residents, (b) utilize Neighborhood Steering Committees to develop the program and guide its implementation, including promotional materials and activities, (c) utilize neighborhood residents to promote nonsmoking and recruit participants to program activities, and (d) offer smokers a choice of 2 quitting procedures, self-help manuals selected by Neighborhood Steering Committees to be appropriate for their audiences, and American Lung Association group cessation clinics modified for low income, black audiences. The intervention will be staggered by 1 month in each of 4, predominantly black neighborhoods. Primary evaluation will be by teleplhone survey of 2,500 residents from the 4 target neighborhoods and an equal number from comparison neighborhoods in Kansas City, at pre-, mid-, post- intervention, and 6-month follow-up. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance items on smoking and cardiovascular risks will comprise the survey, allowing comparison tto statewid samples and national samples for the 36 states utilizing this instrument, coordinated by the Centers for Disease control. Project evaluation will also include program participation rates and effects, social support and network processes, community organizational factors mediating program impacts, community acceptance, and cost analysis.
