By Seth Mitchell, The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — CATCH My Breath, a program that deters students from using electronic cigarettes, has completed its first semester in middle schools in five West Virginia and Kentucky counties.
CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health) My Breath is a peer-reviewed, evidence-based youth vaping prevention program that was developed by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health. Through a series of four lessons, CATCH My Breath provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about using e-cigarettes.
The program is being delivered in West Virginia and Kentucky by the Appalachian Pulmonary Health Project (APHP) of Charleston-based Partners in Health Network. Participation in CATCH My Breath is part of the APHP goal to prevent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the region.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the program to shift midway into an online format. Despite going online, the program was able to reach and affect more than 1,200 students across the five counties…