In 1992, the EPA completed its assessment on the Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders and concluded that the widespread exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in the United States presented a serious and substantial public health threat. Since that time ETS has become a major component in many statewide anti-tobacco media campaigns. This study examines the impact of a series of ETS-related advertisements that aired as part of the Arizona anti-tobacco media campaign from September 1999 to January 2000. Following a random sample pretest-posttest design, telephone interviews were conducted prior to the airing of the ETS campaign commercials (N=403) and again shortly after the commercials had finished their run (N=663). Results indicate that these commercials had a significant positive influence on people's perceptions of the seriousness of ETS and related health issues, tobacco related behaviors, attitudes towards tobacco use and acceptance of smoking bans in public places than other kinds of advertisements produced as part of a $40+ million dollar smoking prevention/cessation campaign.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, particpants will be able to (1)describe the impact of the Arizona ETS media campaign on tobacco related behaviors and attitudes, (2) define a random sample pretest-posttest design.
Keywords: Tobacco, Media
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.