In order to model the effects of ASSIST it is necessary to take into consideration the potent counter-force of the tobacco industry's tactics used to undermine tobacco control efforts. A conceptual model of tobacco industry tactics was developed for two purposes: (1) to use as a taxonomic framework to guide thematic coding of tobacco industry documents, and (2) as the initial step in the operationalization of an index to include in the ASSIST evaluation model. The conceptual framework was developed using a mixed-methods multivariate concept mapping approach that included web-based brainstorming of 226 statements describing tobacco industry tactics, editing of these to a final set of 88 statements, unstructured sorting and importance rating of the statements, analysis using multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis, and facilitated interpretation of results by a panel of experts in tobacco control.
The resulting conceptual map shows eight clusters of the 88 tactics that can be organized according to two clear dimensions (covert versus public and messages versus action) which in turn can be arranged into four quadrants based on the dimensional combinations (e.g., covert action or public messages). For example, the cluster Harassment falls in the covert action quadrant whereas the cluster Usurping the Agenda falls within the public messages quadrant. How the statements, clusters, dimensions and quadrants constitute an empirically driven framework that can be useful for coding tobacco documents will be considered along with discussion of its use for developing measures that can be combined into an index of tobacco industry activity.
Learning Objectives: See abstract text.
Keywords: Tobacco Industry, Tobacco Control
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Federal government contractor