Influence of a counteradvertising media campaign on initiation of smoking: the Florida "truth" campaign.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the short-term effects of television advertisements from the Florida "truth" campaign on rates of smoking initiation.


METHODS
A follow-up survey of young people aged 12 to 17 years (n = 1820) interviewed during the first 6 months of the advertising campaign was conducted. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the independent effects of the campaign on smoking initiation while other factors were controlled for.


RESULTS
Youths scoring at intermediate and high levels on a media effect index were less likely to initiate smoking than youths who could not confirm awareness of television advertisements. Adjusted odds ratios between the media index and measures of initiation were similar within categories of age, sex, susceptibility, and whether a parent smoked.


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure to the "truth" media campaign lowered the risk of youth smoking initiation. However, the analysis did not demonstrate that all such media programs will be effective.
Sly
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DF
Center for the Study of Population, College of Social Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA. dsly@coss.fsu.edu
Hopkins
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RS
Trapido
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E
Ray
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S
D000293:Adolescent; D000329:Advertising / Q000379:methods*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013690:Television