title: Antismoking mass media campaigns and support for smoke-free environments, Mobile County, Alabama, 2011-2012.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2011, the Mobile County Health Department began a 12-month antismoking educational media campaign to educate citizens on the dangers of secondhand smoke. The campaign overlapped with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 3-month national antismoking Tips from Former Smokers media campaign. We aimed to evaluate the effect of these campaigns on support for smoke-free environments and knowledge of the dangers of secondhand smoke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional precampaign and postcampaign telephone surveys collected data from a random sample of Mobile County adults in the summers of 2011 and 2012. Outcome measures included changes in support for smoke-free environments and knowledge of the dangers of secondhand smoke. The participation rate among the households that were successfully reached was 45% in 2011 and 44% in 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the postcampaign survey, 80.9% of respondents reported seeing a television advertisement, 29.9% reported hearing a radio advertisement, and 49.0% reported seeing a billboard. Overall, support for smoke-free bars increased significantly after the intervention (38.1% to 43.8%; P = .01) but not for workplaces or restaurants. Self-reported exposure to the media campaign was associated with higher levels of support for smoke-free workplaces, restaurants, and bars.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Educational mass media campaigns have the potential to increase support for smoke-free protections and may increase knowledge about the dangers of secondhand smoke among certain populations.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Alabama, 306 Paul Bryant Dr E, Box 870216, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. E-mail: ghfosson@crimson.ua.edu. After publication of this article, correspondence should be sent to Debra M. McCallum, PhD, at the same address; e-mail, dmccallu@ua.edu.
authors.forename: Gabriel H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Fosson
authors.affiliation: The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
authors.forename: Debra M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: McCallum
authors.affiliation: The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Conaway
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000407:Alabama / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012147:Restaurants; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017132:Workplace; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution