Case Studies
17/5/2023
EX!ST is a study conducted in France that aims to understand how social inequalities in health related to smoking and other health behaviours are created at a key period in life: early adolescence! Led by Laetitia Minary of the APEMAC team at the University of Lorraine, this study, funded by the Institut de Recherche en Santé Publique and the Institut National du Cancer, will follow 7,500 13-14 year-old pupils from 50 schools in the Grand Est region over a 3-year period. The study was prompted by some edifying statistics on smoking at this stage of life: while very few young French pupils have taken up smoking by the age of 13, there is a big difference in the prevalence of smoking by the age of 17, depending on the educational path chosen. Some 13.3% of teenagers in general education are smokers, compared with 38.4% of apprentices and 43.5% of school dropouts.
"Understanding how social inequalities in health related to smoking and other health behaviours are created at a key period in life: early adolescence."
The teenagers in the study will be followed for at least 3 years, until they are 17. This may seem a short period, given the major objective of gaining a better understanding of the contexts in which social inequalities in health emerge. But these are three important years, when life paths are being mapped out. The questionnaires will be administered using several flexible protocols: in-class completion of questionnaires on tablets for pupils, online questionnaires at home for parents, several times a year. An ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol, to collect data on well-being 'at that moment' via mobile phone, is also deployed. It uses the EMOWI1 questionnaire developped by Marie Buzzi and the EX!ST team.
In this project, Polygon is in charge of the data collection infrastructure, and the development of the branding and communication strategy, with several target audiences: young people, their parents, schools, decision-makers working on smoking prevention interventions, and many others! An overview of this work can be seen on the study website, developed with the help of Principal Studio, a design firm with whom Polygon regularly collaborates.
All EX!ST questionnaires were set up with Polygon's ASI* and GSI* tools. The ecological momentary assessment was deployed via our EMA* tool.
"An ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol, enabling data to be collected 'at that moment' via mobile phone, is also deployed."
Data collection in schools began in spring 2022, and the work will continue for several years! The scientific productions with the data collected will cover a variety of subjects that are important for young teenagers and the schools or associations that cater for them. Follow the EX!ST study website to keep up to date! We'll be sure to add more posts on this original and ambitious project in the years to come!
Credits:
EX!ST study website: click here
APEMAC team website: click here
Funded by INCA and IReSP
References:
1. Buzzi M, Minary L, Kestens Y, Agrinier N, Ricci L, Epstein J. Creation and validation of the pictorial ecological momentary well-being instrument (EMOWI) for adolescents. Qual Life Res. 2022 Jun;31(6):1849-1858. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-021-03077-9
Tools & support solutions
Geospatial & Social network Infrastructure (GSI*)
Advanced Survey Infrastructure (ASI*)
Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA*)
Service design
Branding & communication
