Mass media campaigns : Challenges and opportunities
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Presenter(s)
Tessa Langley Research Associate, UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies, University of Nottingham
Abstract
In April 2010 the UK government froze spending on public health mass media campaigns. It has now re-introduced tobacco control campaigns, but with substantially lower funding than prior to the cut. If tobacco control campaigns influence quitting behaviour, cutting that spend may have implications for public health. There is, however, little peer-reviewed evidence as to the effect of such campaigns on quitting behaviour in the UK.
This presentation draws on peer-reviewed studies and recent research at the University of Nottingham to explore the evidence for the effectiveness of tobacco control campaigns, describe the challenges of evaluating their impact and the gaps in the current evidence. It also discusses the potential role of pharmaceutical-company funded advertising for smoking cessation medication in encouraging quitting.
Source of funding: Cancer Research UK, ASH and National Prevention Research Initiative
