Matt Kuntz
Concordia University
MPH-515
August 2014
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Baseball has been one of the most popular sports
worldwide for both children and adults for many
years.
No matter what age, organization, league, or level,
smokeless tobacco will negatively affect millions of
baseball players and their families.
Smokeless tobacco products contain at least 28 cancercausing chemicals.
Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of
premature death.
Worldwide, tobacco use causes more than 5 million
deaths per year.
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T-ball
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High School
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Teens will try anything in order to fit in.
College
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Have no previous knowledge towards tobacco. Educating
this age before they start is very important.
College age kids have the attitude that nothing can hurt
them.
Professional Baseball
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These players are role models for many kids around the
world.
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Social Influenced Model
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Transtheoretical Model (TMC)
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Results of this program showed that kid’s perceived
use of tobacco was associated with the environment
where they lived.
Intervention programs using the TMC have quit
rates approaching 20 percent (Anczak & Nogler,
2003).
Health Belief Model (HBM)
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Results of the study showed that health education
based on the HBM was very effective in motivating
users to enroll in tobacco cessation programs.
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“The primary construct of this model is
predicated on the basis that behavior change
will occur only when sufficient benefits remain
after subtracting the costs incurred by
performing the behavior” (DiClemente et al.,
2013).
This model consists of perceived severity,
perceived susceptibility, modifying factors,
perceived threat, and expected net gain.
PERCEIVED
SUSCEPTIBILITY
PERCEIVED SEVERITY
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Provide an educational
newsletter with pictures
that would instill fear
for each of the four
levels of baseball that is
age appropriate and
concentrates on the
severe consequences of
chewing tobacco.
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In the educational piece
given to all baseball
players, I will
incorporate the life
story of Tony Gwynn
who died of salivary
gland cancer due to the
use of chewing tobacco.
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Upon signing up to play, all players at every level
would have to review this information and sign a
tobacco free contract that states they understand
the risks associated with chewing tobacco and they
will refrain from its use.
Coaches will be provided with their own contract
to sign stating they will not use tobacco around
their players or at any baseball related activities.
Mandatory meeting for all players to review this
information with coaches and commissioners will
be required before the season starts.
MODIFYING FACTORS
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Since baseball players
have tight relationships
and a brotherhood
quality, my program
will play into this
feature by instilling
comradery, familiarity,
and sociability in the
meetings that are to be
held at the beginning of
the year.
PERCEIVED THREAT
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Perceived severity and
perceived susceptibility
combines to directly
influence the likelihood
of engaging in healthy
behaviors.
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Net Gain
The expected net gain and benefits of being
tobacco free must outweigh the idea of using
tobacco on the baseball field.
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Increasing the perceived value of benefits that can be
expected from not using tobacco.
Decreasing the perceived barriers and modifying
factors.
Promote a healthy lifestyle to become better baseball
players.