title: One cigarette is one too many: evaluating a light smoker-targeted media campaign.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Light smokers represent an increasing share of adult smokers in various parts of the world including New York City (NYC). Since 2007, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has aired hard-hitting antitobacco media campaigns paired with time-limited nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) giveaways. We evaluated an original antitobacco media campaign, developed to increase awareness of smoking risks and encourage cessation service use among light smokers in NYC.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared cessation service request volume during the campaign to historical periods without ads targeting light smokers. We used a cross-sectional online panel survey to assess the ad's perceived effectiveness and its impact on learning something new, quit intentions and concern for smoking-related health risks among non-daily, light daily and heavy daily smokers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of light smokers among smokers requesting cessation services increased 50% (from 13% to 20%) relative to previous time-limited NRT giveaways. Compared to heavy daily smokers, non-daily (aOR: 1.95, p<0.05) and light daily (aOR: 2.27, p<0.05) smokers were more likely to express increased concern about smoking-related health risks after viewing the ad. Perceived effectiveness of the ad did not differ by smoker type.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence that light smokers were receptive to a targeted antitobacco message encouraging use of cessation services. The campaign appears to have been particularly effective in increasing smoking-related health concerns in this group. The lack of difference in perceived ad effectiveness by smoker type suggests the potential to develop such ads without sacrificing broad impact.
authors.affiliation: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control, Long Island City, New York, USA.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Jasek
authors.affiliation: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control, Long Island City, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.affiliation: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control, Long Island City, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Ijeoma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mbamalu
authors.affiliation: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control, Long Island City, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Auer
authors.affiliation: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control, Long Island City, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kilgore
authors.affiliation: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control, Long Island City, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kansagra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult