Media interventions to prevent adolescent tobacco smoking: A systematic review

Background:Media including television, radio, public service announcements, and interactive technologies, are more frequently being used to deliver information to youth. Media interventions have proven effective especially  for high sensation seeking adolescents. The purpose of this article was to review media interventions for preventing tobacco smoking among adolescents from 2005 to January 2015.

Methods:This review was based on an exhaustive search of the databases : Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, ERIC and PsychInfo, PubMed and Science Direct. The key words, “mass media”, “interventions”, “smoking prevention”, “adolescents” and “teens” were searched using PRISMA guidelines and a  total of 18  US studies were located.

Results:Study participants represented grades 4 -12. Of the 18 interventions, all but one were administered in a school setting.  The average sample size was 2,978 (SD=5,607). Several of the studies had participation in the tens of thousands while  one study had only 38 participants. Only two studies established apriori sample size. Social cognitive theory  (n=2) and theory of reasoned action (n=2) were commonly used theories .  A media literacy curriculum that relied on print, video, and teacher instruction to deliver anti-smoking messages was the most popular approach. The designs used were: randomized control trials (n=8); group randomized trials (n=3), cluster randomized trials (n=2), quasi experimental (n=2), and post test only (n=3).

Conclusions: The use of media to change smoking behavior should continue to be explored. Since it is constantly changing, new media interventions will need to be tested. Recommendations for utilizing media to promote smoking interventions are presented.