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This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2009.161638v1 99/12/2217    most recent Submit a response View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Google Scholar Articles by Durkin, S. J. Articles by Wakefield, M. A. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Durkin, S. J. Articles by Wakefield, M. A. Related Collections Health Promotion Media Other Tobacco Smoking Cessation Tobacco Control

Sarah J. Durkin, PhD, Lois Biener, PhD and Melanie A. Wakefield, PhD

Sarah J. Durkin and Melanie A. Wakefield are with the Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, The Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. Lois Biener is with the Center for Survey Research at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Correspondence: Correspondence should be sent to Sarah Durkin, PhD, Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, The Cancer Council Victoria, 1 Rathdowne St, Carlton, Victoria, Australia, 3053 (e-mail: sarah.durkin{at}cancervic.org.au). Reprints can be ordered at http://www.ajph.org by clicking the "Reprints/Eprints" link.

Objectives. We assessed which types of mass media messages might reduce disparities in smoking prevalence among disadvantaged population subgroups.

Methods. We followed 1491 adult smokers over 24 months and related quitting status at follow-up to exposure to antismoking ads in the 2 years prior to the baseline assessment.

Results. On average, smokers were exposed to more than 200 antismoking ads during the 2-year period, as estimated by televised gross ratings points (GRPs). The odds of having quit at follow-up increased by 11% with each 10 additional potential ad exposures (per 1000 points, odds ratio [OR] = 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00, 1.23; P < .05). Greater exposure to ads that contained highly emotional elements or personal stories drove this effect (OR = 1.14; 95% CI 1.02, 1.29; P < .05), which was greater among respondents with low and mid-socioeconomic status than among high–socioeconomic status groups.

Conclusions. Emotionally evocative ads and ads that contain personalized stories about the effects of smoking and quitting hold promise for efforts to promote smoking cessation and reduce socioeconomic disparities in smoking.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. L. Daniel, J. M. Bernhardt, and D. Eroglu Social Marketing and Health Communication: From People to Places Am J Public Health, December 1, 2009; 99(12): 2120 - 2122. [Full Text] [PDF]