Pictorial health warning labels on cigarette packages: an investigation on opinions of male smokers.
BACKGROUND
Health warning labels on cigarette packages are among the most straightforward and important tools to communicate with smokers and various studies have illustrated their efficacy.


OBJECTIVE
The current study aimed to investigate the opinions of male smokers in Mashhad city about the efficacy of health warning labels printed on cigarette packages on the smoking status of smokers.


METHODS
This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 2013 using a questionnaire. The research population included the male smokers of Mashhad. The participants were selected from the customers referring to the newsstands for cigarettes. The obtained data were analyzed employing SPSS software Version 16, and the statistical tests including Kruskal-Wallis, Spearman, and correlation coefficient of Pearson, Chi Square, Mann-Whitney, and Bonferroni correction were used in this regard.


RESULTS
In this research, there were 500 participants with the average age of 25 years. The initiation age of smoking was eight years while the maximum age was reported as 45 years. Results of this research about the effect of these labels on decreasing cigarette consumption rate showed that almost half of the participants believed that these labels were ineffective for them (52.2%) and other smokers (53.8%).Furthermore, significant relationship was found between the age and opinion of the smokers about the influence of these labels on reducing their cigarette consumption (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
To promote the effect of printed images on cigarette packages, it is recommended to consider the suitability of labels in the targeted culture. In addition, to be more effective consultation sites to quit smoking should be introduced under the images.
Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Davoud
D
Shojaezadeh
Department of Health and Management, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
Nooshin
N
Peyman
Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
Mohammad Taghi
MT
Shakeri
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Knowledge Utilization Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Saharnaz
S
Nedjat
Department of Rehabilitation, Behzisti (Elmi-Karbordi) University of Mashhad, Mashhad, IR Iran.
Abbas
A
Mohaddes Hakkak
Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Mohammad Hossein
MH
Taghdisi
Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Hamid Reza
HR
Mohaddes Hakkak
Department of Biostatistics and Information Technology, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
Keivan
K
Shariati
Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
Ali
A
Taghipour
Iran; Smoking; Tobacco Products