Formative research for the Philadelphia Anti-Smoking Media Campaign: Finding key beliefs that may increase adult smokers' intentions to quit with help

Background: The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is leading a program to increase the number of smokers who use outside help to quit smoking. To inform development of the program's anti-smoking media campaign, we surveyed adult smokers in Philadelphia to learn which factors would be most likely to persuade them to quit with help. Objective: To determine which beliefs about quitting smoking are related to intentions to quit using outside help. Methods: We conducted a random digit dialed telephone (landline and cell phone) survey of smokers residing in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Current adult smokers (≥ 18 years old) who had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime were eligible to complete the survey (N=501). The outcome was intention to quit smoking with help, a composite measure of intentions to quit using various quit aids. Respondents reported their smoking and quitting behaviors, as well as their attitudinal, normative, and self-efficacy beliefs related to quitting. Results: Out of 29 tested beliefs four were most promising because they distinguished participants likely to quit with help from those who were not likely to quit with help. These beliefs were: 1) “If I tried to quit smoking using outside help, it would make quitting easier for me;” 2) “I would set a good example;” 3) “I would have more energy;” 4) “I would have more money to spend on other things.” Conclusions: Findings from the formative study informed development of anti-smoking messages in television, radio, and print ads for Philadelphia's Anti-Smoking Media Campaign.