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Tailoring tobacco prevention messaging to reach rural teens with conservative values in Vermont and Virginia
Methods: Focus groups (FG) were conducted with teens at local high schools in Vermont (FG=8, n=82) and Virginia (FG=6, n=56). Participants were surveyed on personal values, tobacco prevention facts, and responded to a variety of existing tobacco control campaigns. Qualitative analysis focused on understanding differences between urban and rural teens in these two states. Examples of effective ads will be presented to inform future tobacco control messages.
Results. When compared to urban teens, rural teens appeared less interested in messages regarding the tobacco industry and its practices, often citing tobacco companies should be allowed to market as they see fit. Rural teens valued personal freedom and self-responsibility, reacting with defensiveness to messages focused on addiction or victimization by the tobacco industry. Rural teens reacted positively to messages relating to their own responsibility in regards to secondhand smoke and the influence of smoking on younger siblings. Addiction messages appealed to rural teens when positioned as an attack on one’s personal freedom.
Conclusions. Rural teens appear to have different values than urban teens with rural teens preferring messages focusing on personal responsibility, personal freedom associated with being tobacco free, family values, and a greater appreciation for the rights of the tobacco industry. To reach rural teens effectively, anti-tobacco messages should address these concerns.
Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health educationPlanning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Identify the values of at-risk rural teens
Discuss how the values of at-risk rural teens impact the design and selection of tobacco prevention messages
Demonstrate how tobacco prevention messages can be tailored to rural teens
Keyword(s): Tobacco Control, Social Marketing
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I lead a social marketing organization that manages over 20 different tobacco control programs for 10 state health departments and the FDA. I have been working in social marketing for tobacco control for over 12 years. Specifically for this abstract, our organization conducted and analyzed the formative research being presented as well as developed the messages and campaign being presented to target rural teens.
Any relevant financial relationships? Yes
| Name of Organization | Clinical/Research Area | Type of relationship |
|---|---|---|
| Rescue Social Change Group | Social Marketing | Employment (includes retainer) |
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.