Why to quit-graphic ads influence less ready to quit smokers to call smokers' quitlines

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22843327

Health Educ Res. 2012 Jul 26. [Epub ahead of print]

Do different styles of antismoking ads influence the types of smokers who call quitlines?

Nonnemaker JM, Farrelly MC, Kamyab K, Macmonegle AJ.

Source

Public Health and Policy Research, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between television antismoking advertisements and the proportion of smokers who call a smokers' quitline who are ready to quit or have high confidence in quitting. The primary data of interest came from completed intake interviews of smokers. Using a generalized linear model, we modeled the proportion of Quitline callers who are ready to quit and/or have high confidence in quitting. The primary explanatory variable was monthly target audience rating points (TARPs) for antismoking advertisements, a measure of broadcast media exposure, obtained from the state's media buyer. The proportions of callers ready to quit and with high confidence in quitting were negatively associated with total TARPs. This result, over all ad types, was driven by why to quit-graphic ads. These results suggest that why to quit-graphic ads influence smokers who are less ready to quit or have lower confidence they can quit, likely new quitters, to call the Quitline.