PRS11 - Association Between Anti-Tobacco Campaigns and Quit Intention Among Youth in Taiwan

Abstract

This study assessed the relationships between contact with anti-tobacco information and quit intention among Taiwanese adolescents. Data was obtained from the self-administered Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), which has been conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taiwan for the period from 2014 to 2016. Participants included students aged 12–18 years who used cigarettes in the previous 30 days. The dependent variable was anti-tobacco campaigns. We controlled for the following variables: year of survey, gender, grade, monthly income/allowance, parents’ and close friends’ smoking statuses, use of e-cigarette and other tobacco products, access to free tobacco products, and access to help quit smoking. The prevalence of intentions to quit smoking conventional cigarettes decreased from 62.54% to 59.57% in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Smokers who encountered anti-tobacco media messages (OR=1.06, 95%CI 1.03 to 1.10), attended classes about the dangers of tobacco (OR=1.20, 95%CI 1.16 to 1.23), thought about quitting smoking after seeing health warnings on cigarette packages (OR=4.32, 95%CI 4.16 to 4.46), and/or received help to quit smoking (OR=2.72, 95%CI 2.63 to 2.81) were more likely to have intended to quit cigarette smoking. Smokers who used other tobacco products (OR=0.68, 95%CI 0.66 to 0.70) and obtained free cigarette (OR=0.76, 95%CI 0.73 to 0.80) were negatively associated with attempts to quit smoking. The anti-tobacco media messages, health warnings on cigarette packages, tobacco hazard courses, and advice from others are important factors in correlating whether intention to quit smoking. We recommend that the government continue promoting smoking cessation programs in the media, funding courses on the hazards of tobacco, controlling advertising and promotion of cigarettes, and maintaining health warnings on cigarette packages.