Increasing Tobacco Use Cessation: Mass Media Campaigns When Combined with Other Interventions

Task Force Finding*

Campaigns are mass media interventions of an extended duration, using brief, recurring messages to inform and to motivate children and adolescents to remain tobacco-free. Message content is developed through formative research, and message dissemination includes the use of paid broadcast time or print space (as advertisements), donated time and space (as public service announcements), or a combination of paid and donated time and space.

None of the studies identified in this review evaluated the impact of campaigns implemented alone. Therefore, the Task Force evaluated the evidence of effectiveness of mass media campaigns when implemented with additional interventions, such as tobacco product excise tax increases, school-based education, or other community programs. In most of the evaluated studies, however, the media campaign was the dominant intervention implemented.

Mass media campaigns are strongly recommended by the Task Force based on strong evidence of effectiveness in reducing tobacco use prevalence among adolescents when implemented in combination with tobacco price increases, school-based education, and/or other community education programs.

*From the following publication:

Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Recommendations regarding interventions to reduce tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. [PDF - 1.46KB] Am J Prev Med 2001;20(2S):10-5.

Review completed: October 2009