Effect of an antismoking advertisement on cinema patrons' perception of smoking and intention to smoke: a quasi-experimental study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of an antismoking advertisement under real-world conditions. Design Quasi-experimental study.


METHODS
Multiplex cinema in Kiel, Germany; 4073 patrons were surveyed after having viewed a movie. Some 4005 patrons were > or = 10 years old (28.7% between 10 and 17 years). A total of 654 subjects (16.3%) were smokers.


METHODS
In the intervention condition (weeks 1 and 3), a 30-second antismoking advertisement-accentuating long-term health consequences of smoking and promoting cessation-was shown prior to all movies; in the control condition (weeks 2 and 4) no such spot was shown.


METHODS
(i) Awareness of smoking in the movie, (ii) approval of smoking in the movie, (iii) attitude towards smoking, (iv) intention to smoke in the future and (v) desire to smoke among smokers. Findings Patrons who were exposed to the antismoking advertisement were more likely to be female, but did not differ with respect to smoking status. After controlling for gender differences, patrons exposed to the antismoking advertisement had (i) higher awareness of smoking in the movies, (ii) lower levels of approval of smoking in the movies, and (iii) a more negative attitude towards smoking in general compared with those not exposed. Among smokers, smoking in the movies increased urge to smoke, but there was no interaction between smoking in the movies and experimental condition.


CONCLUSIONS
Study results suggest that placing an antismoking advertisement before movies can affect attitudes towards smoking, bolstering evidence in support of such policies.
Hanewinkel
Reiner
R
Institute for Therapy and Health Research (IFT-Nord), 24114 Kiel, Germany. hanewinkel@ift-nord.de
Isensee
Barbara
B
Sargent
James D
JD
Morgenstern
Matthis
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000329:Advertising; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009040:Motion Pictures; D009042:Motivation; D010465:Perception; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult