Increasing Tobacco Use Cessation: Mass Media—Cessation Series

Cessation series for tobacco cessation are mass media interventions that use instructional segments to recruit, inform, and motivate tobacco product users to begin and maintain efforts to quit. They can be coordinated with broadcast or print promotion, community education such as distribution of self-help cessation materials, and organization of cessation groups in the community. The series can range from several weeks to several months, and techniques include nightly or weekly segments on news broadcasts that provide expert advice or peer-group experiences.

Summary of Task Force Recommendations & Findings

The Community Preventive Services Task Force finds insufficient evidence to assess the effectiveness of cessation series (based on inadequate comparison populations or groups, and inconsistent results).

Task Force Finding

Results from the Systematic Reviews

Nine studies qualified for the review of this intervention.

• All nine studies evaluated the effectiveness of cessation series combined with other interventions, such as community education (e.g., distribution of self-help cessation manuals), organized cessation groups or programs, or telephone cessation support.
• Qualifying studies had inadequate comparison populations or groups and the results from these studies were inconsistent.

These findings were based on a systematic review of all available studies, conducted on behalf of the Task Force by a team of specialists in systematic review methods, and in research, practice and policy related to tobacco use.

Economic Review

An economic review of this intervention was not conducted because the Task Force found insufficient evidence to determine its effectiveness.

Supporting Materials

• Research gaps
• Included studies

Publications

Hopkins DP, Briss PA, Ricard CJ. Reviews of evidence regarding interventions to reduce tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. [PDF - 6.38MB] Am J Prev Med 2001;20(2S):16–66.

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.

Hopkins DP, Husten CG, Fielding JE. Evidence reviews and recommendations on interventions to reduce tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke: a summary of selected guidelines. [PDF - 4.10MB] Am J Prev Med 2001;20(2S):67–87.

Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Tobacco. [PDF - 3.63KB] In : Zaza S, Briss PA, Harris KW, eds. The Guide to Community Preventive Services: What Works to Promote Health? Atlanta (GA): Oxford University Press;2005:3-79.

More Community Guide publications about Tobacco Use

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Sample Citation

The content of publications of the Guide to Community Preventive Services is in the public domain. Citation as to source, however, is appreciated. Sample citation: Guide to Community Preventive Services. Increasing tobacco use cessation: mass media—cessation series. www.thecommunityguide.org/tobacco/cessation/massmediaseries.html. Last updated: MM/DD/YYYY.

Review completed: May 2000