title: Using a smokeless tobacco control mass media campaign and other synergistic elements to address social inequalities in India.
abstract: The burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality in India is substantial, with smokeless tobacco being the predominant form of tobacco use. Use of smokeless tobacco (for example gutkha, paan, khaini, and pan masala) is linked to a host of socioeconomic and cultural factors including gender, regional differences, educational level, and income disparities. Given the scale of the problem, a national social marketing campaign was developed and implemented. The creative approach used testimonials from a surgeon and patients at Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai. The communication message approach was designed to reflect the realities of disfiguring, disabling, and fatal cancers caused by smokeless tobacco. Evaluation of the campaign identified significant differences across a range of campaign behavioral predictors by audience segments aware of the campaign versus those who were "campaign unaware". Significant findings were also identified regarding vulnerable groups by gender (female/male) and rural/urban disparities. Findings are discussed in relation to the powerful impact of using graphic, emotive, and testimonial imagery for tobacco control with socially disadvantaged groups.
authors.affiliation: World Lung Foundation, 61 Broadway, Suite 2800, New York, NY 10006, USA. tturk@worldlungfoundation.com
authors.forename: Tahir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Turk
authors.forename: Nandita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Murukutla
authors.forename: Shefali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Jagdish
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mullin
authors.forename: Ranjana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saradhi
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaturvedi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D040241:Social Marketing; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless