Effects of a televised smoking cessation intervention among low‐income and minority smokers

Abstract

In November 1985, a television smoking cessation program was broadcast for 20 days on the noon and 9 p.m. news. Smokers in West Garfield Park, an inner-city impoverished area of Chicago, were randomly assigned either to a comprehensive intervention or to a no-intervention control condition. Although 100,000 self-help manuals had been distributed throughout Chicago, none of the controls in this low-income area had obtained a manual. The intervention consisted of providing the smokers a self-help manual, the televised broadcast, weekly support meetings, and supportive phone calls. At a 4-month follow-up, 20% of treatment participants were abstinent compared to 9% of controls. The results indicated that intensive supplementary opportunities enhanced participation by low-income smokers in a media smoking cessation program.

A Social Learning Approach to Increasing Blood Donations1

“…Our intervention was a relatively static audio-slide presentation. A more involving, compelling, and attentioneliciting media format such as a videotape might be even more effective (Jason, Tait, Goodman, Buckenberger, & Gruder, 1988). Future research dealing with this possibility, with regard to blood donations and other forms of prosocial behavior, is needed.…”

Reviews of evidence regarding interventions to reduce tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke11The names and affiliations of the Task Force members are listed in the front of this supplement and at www.thecommunityguide.org.

“…Our search identified 20 studies regarding the effectiveness of cessation series in increasing tobacco use cessation. 244,[252][253][254][255][256][257][258][259][260][261][262][263][264][265][266][267][268][269][270] Ten additional reports provide information on an alreadyincluded study. [271][272][273][274][275][276][277][278][279][280] Ten studies with limited execution 244,252,254,257,258,261,263,265,266,268 and one study with a least-suitable study design 255 were not included in the body of evidence.…”

“…[271][272][273][274][275][276][277][278][279][280] Ten studies with limited execution 244,252,254,257,258,261,263,265,266,268 and one study with a least-suitable study design 255 were not included in the body of evidence. Details of the nine qualifying studies 253,256,259,260,262,264,267,269,270 are provided at the website (www.thecommunityguide.org).…”

Tobacco, Drug, and HIV Preventive Media Interventions

“…During this second project, WGN-Channel 9-a superstation whose programming is beamed via satellite throughout the United States and Central America-carried the 20-day program. For this program, 100,000 manuals were distributed through True Value Hardware stores (Jason, Tait, Goodman, Buckenberger, & Grader, 1988). Nielsen ratings conducted during the month the health promotion program was aired indicated that approximately 286,000 and 583,000 people in the Chicago area watched the noon and 9 p.m. broadcasts of the program, respectively.…”