The influence of tobacco countermarketing ads on college students' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs

J Am Coll Health. 2010 Jan-Feb;58(4):373-81. doi: 10.1080/07448480903380276.

Abstract

Objective: To determine which antitobacco messages were perceived effective in changing college students' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about tobacco use.

Participants: College students (n = 1,020) were surveyed before and after viewing 4 30-second antitobacco advertisements in 1 of 3 theme categories-social norms, health consequences, or tobacco industry manipulation.

Methods: An independent samples t test was used to test for differences in the mean responses to the knowledge, attitude, and belief questions at posttest by smoking status and gender.

Results: Health consequences ads significantly increased overall knowledge and negative attitudes and beliefs.

Conclusion: Findings from this study may help health educators who work in college settings and other young adult settings to include media messages as part of a comprehensive tobacco control program.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Advertising
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Data Collection
  • Female
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Health Promotion*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Media
  • Massachusetts
  • Public Health
  • Risk-Taking
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Smoking Prevention*
  • Social Marketing*
  • Students / statistics & numerical data*
  • Tobacco Industry
  • Universities / statistics & numerical data*
  • Young Adult