Do Smoking Cessation Media Campaigns Exacerbate Socioeconomic Disparities in Smoking?

• In Event: Designing Effective Health PSAs: Guilt Arousal, Audience Characteristics, and Sensation Value

Abstract

This study used longitudinal data from a sample of 452 adult smokers to examine whether smoking cessation media campaign messages had greater impact on quitting behavior among higher versus low socioeconomic status populations. Recall of how to quit (HTQ) ads were significantly more effective in promoting subsequent year quit attempts among highly educated populations compared to less educated populations. Results suggest that HTQ smoking cessation media messages may exacerbate socioeconomic disparities in smoking cessation behavior.

Authors

• Jeff Niederdeppe, Univ of Wisconsin, Madison

• Michael C. Fiore

• Timothy B. Baker

• Stevens S. Smith