The Florida "truth" anti-tobacco media evaluation: design, first year results, and implications for planning future state media evaluations

Objectives-To outline the design and present selected findings from the eva luation of a state counter-advertising, anti-tobacco media campaign. The ap propriateness of the design for states developing media evaluations is disc ussed. Design-Four cross sectional, telephone surveys of the 12-17 year old popula tion were used to track and monitor advertising and campaign awareness, con firmed awareness, and receptivity. The Florida baseline and one year survey s were used with two parallel national surveys in a quasi-experimental desi gn to assess attitude and smoking related behaviour change attributable to the campaign. Measures-Awareness was measured try self report, confirmed awareness by una ided description, and receptivity by self reports of how well advertisement s were liked, talked to friends about, and made one think about whether or not to smoke. Eleven attitude and three smoking behaviour items for Florida (treatment) and a national (control) population were compared at baseline and after 12 months. Results-Significant increases in ad specific awareness, confirmed, receptiv ity, and campaign awareness, and confirmed awareness were reached by the si xth week. They continued to rise through the first year. No attitude and on ly minor behaviour differences were noted between the treatment and compari son populations at baseline. By the end of the first year, Florida youth ha d stronger anti-tobacco attitudes and better behaviour patterns than the co mparison population. Conclusions-The industry manipulation strategy used in the :Florida campaig n resulted in high rates of recall, significant changes in attitudes/belief s, and reduced rates of smoking behaviour among youth.