Moving Tobacco C ontrol to the Forefront of the African-American Community.

1. Moving Tobacco Control to the Forefront of the African-American Community. Findings from African American Smokers’ and Non-Smokers’ Reactions to Potential Print & Radio advertisements for the California Tobacco Control Program Martha E. Dominguez, MA; Mary V. Modayil PhD; Shirley T. Shelton, BS Walden University and California Department of Public Health Evaluation Findings Evaluation Methods Background • Smoking Behaviors: • Respondents enjoy smokingbecause it doesn’t hinder them from engaging in activities, so they see no real reason to quit, but hope to quit one day. • Rely on sheer willpower when attempting to quit. • They don’t like the smell, taste, cost of tobacco and the negative impact in their health. • Non-smokers don’t like the effects of secondhand smoke. • Respondents feel removed from the issue of smoking. • General Reactions to Anti-Smoking Messages: • Take advertising messages very literally. • Attracted to strong and individual lines of copy in ads. If ads text is too long and elaborate, they will tune out. • Reactions to Targeted Messages and Ads: • Respondents were disturbed that the African American community is being targeted by the tobacco industry, many were also disturbed of being singled-out by anti-tobacco ads. • Advertising messages should give consumers a reason why they are being targeted otherwise it raises skepticism. • Non-culturally and non-sensitive messages have the tendency to depict African Americans in a negative or stereotypical. • Targeted ads are somewhat offensive, saying that they seemed to suggest that only African Americans are addicted to cigarettes (“We aren’t the only ones who smoke.”). • Most were aware that African Americans are disproportionately targeted by tobacco companies. However, responses to the targeted anti-smoking ads were mixed. • The California Department of Public Health, Tobacco Control Program conducted a series of focus groups in May 2011 and January 2012 to obtained African American’s Smokers’ and Non-Smokers’ reactions to potential print and radio advertisements. Focus groups were conducted throughout California with both of non-smokers and smokers between 24-56 years old. • The African American campaign is designed to improve the health of African Americans, their families, and community through awareness, education, and mobilization toward tobacco-free lifestyles/living. Message Strategy Conclusions • The African American community does not see tobacco as a priority issue, and therefore is not focused on health effects resulting from tobacco. • The community does not think much of tobacco as they feel removed from the issue. • Smoking is not seen as a raceissue, and questioned the reasoning for developing targeted ads. • African American consumers are extremely sensitive to being singled-out and stereotyped. • Targeted messages and ads make African Americans feel as they alone were being chastised for engaging in behavior that is not unique to them. • African Americans are bothered by the smell, taste, cost and secondhand smoke over their health. Acknowledgments This work was done in collaboration with California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program. October 2012 – American Public Health Association Conference, San Francisco, CA