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James C. Hersey, PhD1, Jeff Niederdeppe, MA1, Shu Wen Ng, BS1, Matthew Farrelly, PhD1, Paul D. Mowery, MS2, and M. Lyndon Haviland, DrPH3. (1) Research Triangle Institute, 1615 M St. (Suite 740), Washington, DC 20036, 202/728-2486, hersey@rti.org, (2) Statistics, Research Triangle Institute, 2951 Flowers Road, Suite 119, Atlanta, GA 30341, (3) American Legacy Foundation, 1001 G Street, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20001
Background: At a time when states are evaluating budget priorities, it is especially important to assess the ways in which comprehensive state counter industry media campaigns compliment nation media campaign efforts such as truth®. Methods: This presentation investigated synergies between the American Legacy Foundation's truth® campaign and complimentary state tobacco countermarketing campaigns. Using a series of national telephone surveys involving more than 25,000 12-17 year olds between 1999 and 2003, we explore the independent and joint impact of national truth® and state campaigns on tobacco-related attitudes, intentions and beliefs. Results: Findings indicate the decrease in tobacco use was substantially greater in states that had launched aggressive anti-tobacco industry media campaigns, that in state that did not have such major efforts (controlling for state differences in such background variables as race/ethnicity, strength of tobacco control policies, the price of tobacco, and level of exposure to national campaigns.) These results were found both for state with longer established campaigns (CA, FL, MA), where the biggest change was between 1999 and 2001, and in states that had more recently launched media campaigns (IN, MN, MS, NJ) where the decreases were greatest between 2001 and 2000. Analysis indicated that the mechanism for this change may have been that anti-tobacco attitudes were more salient in states that had strong anti-tobacco campaigns. In addition, it appears that exposure to media campaigns reinforces awareness of tobacco use prevention education, providing evidence for the value of comprehensive tobacco control efforts. Implications: Study results encourage the value of state anti-tobacco media campaigns in preventing tobacco use.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Media Campaigns, Youth
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.