Testing antismoking messages for Air Force trainees.
Young adults in the military are aggressively targeted by tobacco companies and are at high risk of tobacco use. Existing antismoking advertisements developed for the general population might be effective in educating young adults in the military. This study evaluated the effects of different themes of existing antismoking advertisements on perceived harm and intentions to use cigarettes and other tobacco products among Air Force trainees.



In a pretest-post-test experiment, 782 Airmen were randomised to view antismoking advertisements in 1 of 6 conditions: anti-industry, health effects+anti-industry, sexual health, secondhand smoke, environment+anti-industry or control. We assessed the effect of different conditions on changes in perceived harm and intentions to use cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, hookah and cigarillos from pretest to post-test with multivariable linear regression models (perceived harm) and zero-inflated Poisson regression model (intentions).



Antismoking advertisements increased perceived harm of various tobacco products and reduced intentions to use. Advertisements featuring negative effects of tobacco on health and sexual performance coupled with revealing tobacco industry manipulations had the most consistent pattern of effects on perceived harm and intentions.



Antismoking advertisements produced for the general public might also be effective with a young adult military population and could have spillover effects on perceptions of harm and intentions to use other tobacco products besides cigarettes. Existing antismoking advertising may be a cost-effective tool to educate young adults in the military.
Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
Lucy
L
Popova
Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Brittany D
BD
Linde
Division of Biostatistics, Department of Preventive Medicine, Center for Population Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Zoran
Z
Bursac
Department of Preventive Medicine, Center for Population Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
G Wayne
GW
Talcott
Institute for Population Health Improvement, University of California, Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, USA.
Mary V
MV
Modayil
Department of Preventive Medicine, Center for Population Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Melissa A
MA
Little
Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
Pamela M
PM
Ling
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
Stanton A
SA
Glantz
Department of Preventive Medicine, Center for Population Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Robert C
RC
Klesges
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000329:Advertising / Q000379:methods; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
Advertising and Promotion; Media; Non-cigarette tobacco products; Priority/special populations