Evaluating the Impact of a Photoaging App versus School-Based Educational Intervention on Adolescents’ Knowledge, and Attitudes towards Tobacco Use in Omani Public Schools: A Cluster Randomized Trial

Introduction Tobacco use among adolescents remains a significant public health concern, particularly in the Middle East region. Objectives This study compared the effectiveness of two interventions aimed at preventing tobacco use among Omani adolescents: the home use of photoaging app and a school-based educational module. Methods In this randomized controlled trial, 188 adolescents were assigned to either the photoaging app or the educational module group. Results The use of photoaging app demonstrated superior efficacy in enhancing perceptions of tobacco’s harmful effects, with 78.5% of participants recognizing tobacco as definitely harmful compared to 27.1% in the educational module group (p<0.001). Additionally, the app group showed greater resistance to peer pressure, with 95.7% stating they would “definitely” refuse tobacco if offered by a friend, versus 83.5% in the module group (p=0.031). However, the educational module was more effective in promoting support for smoking bans in public places. While not statistically significant, the photoaging app group showed a trend towards lower susceptibility to tobacco use. Conclusions These findings suggest that integrating technology-driven interventions like photoaging apps with comprehensive educational programs could enhance tobacco prevention efforts among adolescents. Future interventions should consider a hybrid approach to leverage the strengths of both methods in combating youth tobacco use. Disclosure of Interest None Declared