“AWARENESS ABOUT ANTITOBACCO MESSAGES AND ITS IMPACT ON TOBACCO CONSUMERS IN MYSORE”
Aravind Karinagannanavar*, Madhupreetha S, Pratheeksha Reddy, Aishwarya R, Sangeetha B S.
ABSTRACT
Background: Tobacco is a risk factor for six out of eight leading causes of death in the world. Anti-smoking advertisements are an important component of comprehensive tobacco control programs. The research indicates that behavioral change at a mass level is dependent upon the belief and values shared by an individual and the community along with the level of awareness. Objectives: 1) To study the profile of tobacco consumers. 2) To find the people’s awareness, interpretation and impact of anti tobacco messages. Methodology: A
descriptive study was conducted from April 2014 to October 2014 in Mysore. Data was collected from 600 tobacco consumers. A pre-tested and semi-structured proforma was used to collect the information from them through a face-to-face interview. The proforma included the socio demographic profile, history of tobacco consumption and awareness about anti tobacco messages, interpretation and its impact on their tobacco consumption habit. Results: In our study we found that smoking is more in the age group of 41 to 50, among illiterates, among unskilled workers and from lower socio economic status. Smoking was initiated more in the age group of 17 to 24, study subjects smoke mainly due to peer pressure. Majority buy the cigarette/beedi as packs. Maximum number of our study population has seen the anti-tobacco messages on tobacco products with a percentage of 51.2. 97.3 percent of study population interpreted it rightly. 81.0 percent of study population have reduced smoking after watching the anti tobacco messages. Conclusion: The messages on Tobacco products and TV advertisements having the highest impact in terms of recall, interpretation and the intention to reduce or quit.
Keywords: Antitobacco Messsages, Impact, Tobacco Consumers.
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