Effectiveness of mass media campaigns to change tobacco use in England
Dr. Michelle Sims (UKCTCS)
14.45, Tuesday 9 July. The Clubhouse, level 4
Background
Most of the evidence in favour of the effectiveness of mass media campaigns (MMCs) in reducing smoking rates and cigarette consumption comes from studies conducted in to mid-1970s to mid-1990s. These studies, however, evaluated campaigns run over short time periods in jurisdictions with little other tobacco control activity and are therefore of limited relevance to the current large-scale media campaigns run over extended periods as part of multicomponent national tobacco control programmes. In Europe, no study has yet assessed whether MMCs reduce smoking rates and consumption when run as part of a comprehensive tobacco control programme.
There was a substantial increase in tobacco control activity in England during the 2000s, including large scale tobacco control MMCs. From April 2010, however, the government froze spending on national public health campaigns. A tobacco control campaign was later reintroduced in England in September 2011, but at a much lower level of funding than prior to the freeze. We evaluated whether the government-funded tobacco control television advertisements shown between 2002 and 2010 were associated with changes in smoking rates and cigarette consumption, thus providing essential evidence as to whether the cutting of government spending on MMCs is justifiable. Our focus is on television advertisements as the major expenditure was on this media channel.
Methods
The association between tobacco control television ratings (TVRs – a measure of exposure to television advertisements) and daily cigarette consumption and smoking rates was investigated using generalised additive models. Data on tobacco use was obtained from all adults interviewed in the ONS monthly Opinions Surveys.
Results
After adjusting for other tobacco control policies, cigarette costliness and individual characteristics, we found that a 400 point increase in tobacco control TVRs was associated with a significant 1.80%(95% CI=0.47-3.11) reduction in average consumption in the following month and a 3% lower odds of smoking two months later (odds ratio: 0.97,95% CI=0.95-0.999). This accounted for 11.2% and 13.5% of the total decline in consumption and smoking rates over the period 2002-9 respectively.
Conclusion
Our findings add to the international evidence base that tobacco control MMCs are associated with reductions in smoking rates and cigarette consumption. It builds on previous work by being the first evaluation in Europe to show that MMCs may be effective when run as part of a comprehensive set of tobacco control policies.
Most of the evidence in favour of the effectiveness of mass media campaigns (MMCs) in reducing smoking rates and cigarette consumption comes from studies conducted in to mid-1970s to mid-1990s. These studies, however, evaluated campaigns run over short time periods in jurisdictions with little other tobacco control activity and are therefore of limited relevance to the current large-scale media campaigns run over extended periods as part of multicomponent national tobacco control programmes. In Europe, no study has yet assessed whether MMCs reduce smoking rates and consumption when run as part of a comprehensive tobacco control programme.
There was a substantial increase in tobacco control activity in England during the 2000s, including large scale tobacco control MMCs. From April 2010, however, the government froze spending on national public health campaigns. A tobacco control campaign was later reintroduced in England in September 2011, but at a much lower level of funding than prior to the freeze. We evaluated whether the government-funded tobacco control television advertisements shown between 2002 and 2010 were associated with changes in smoking rates and cigarette consumption, thus providing essential evidence as to whether the cutting of government spending on MMCs is justifiable. Our focus is on television advertisements as the major expenditure was on this media channel.
Methods
The association between tobacco control television ratings (TVRs – a measure of exposure to television advertisements) and daily cigarette consumption and smoking rates was investigated using generalised additive models. Data on tobacco use was obtained from all adults interviewed in the ONS monthly Opinions Surveys.
Results
After adjusting for other tobacco control policies, cigarette costliness and individual characteristics, we found that a 400 point increase in tobacco control TVRs was associated with a significant 1.80%(95% CI=0.47-3.11) reduction in average consumption in the following month and a 3% lower odds of smoking two months later (odds ratio: 0.97,95% CI=0.95-0.999). This accounted for 11.2% and 13.5% of the total decline in consumption and smoking rates over the period 2002-9 respectively.
Conclusion
Our findings add to the international evidence base that tobacco control MMCs are associated with reductions in smoking rates and cigarette consumption. It builds on previous work by being the first evaluation in Europe to show that MMCs may be effective when run as part of a comprehensive set of tobacco control policies.