The aim of this research is to develop and test targeted communication strategies designed to motivate and assist cigarette smokers to stop smoking. This study will involve the collaborative efforts of investigators at two cancer centers, Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) in Buffalo, New York, and The Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The theory underlying the proposed research is that communications which are tailored to specific population segments will be more effective than communications which are not targeted. We have selected women cigarette smokers with young children (under age 6) as the target population for this research. The proposed research involves two separate, but theoretically related and coordinated experiments. The first experiment involves the testing of a targeted mass media campaign designed to motivate smokers to call CIS for information on quitting. The campaign will use a mix of professionally produced television and radio spots and print material, executed in two, 3-month waves over a 12-month period. The campaign will be tailored to appeal to the interests and media-use habits of the target population, although response to the campaign from other smokers will be assessed. The campaign will be implemented in 7 of 14 media markets located in New York State, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Response to the campaign will be assessed by monitoring the number of calls to the CIS offices at FCCC and RPMI from smokers residing in the experimental and control market areas. The second experiment involves a comparison of the effectiveness of three self-help smoking cessation booklets. The study population will include women smokers with preschool-aged children who call CIS seeking information on how to stop smoking. Study subjects will be randomly assigned to one of three groups. Group 1, the targeted group, will receive a booklet entitled, """"""""Quitting Times"""""""" which was written specifically for women with preschool-aged children. Smokers assigned to Group 2 will receive the American Lung Association's recently revised quit- smoking booklet entitled, """"""""Freedom from Smoking for You and Your Family"""""""". A third group will receive """"""""Clearing the Air"""""""", a self-help booklet developed by the NCI. Subjects enrolled in the booklet study will be followed up by phone 6 months after calling CIS to assess changes in smoking behavior.
| Davis, S W; Cummings, K M; Rimer, B K et al. (1992) The impact of tailored self-help smoking cessation guides on young mothers. Health Educ Q 19:495-504 |
