Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Anti-Smoking Messages On Knowledge About Health Effects, Negative Thinking And Behaviour Among Malaysians

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Date
2012-03
Authors
Zawahir, Mohamed Shukry
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Tobacco use has been identified as the leading cause of death and disability in the world. In Malaysia, overall (age ≥15 years) smoking prevalence of 23.2%, with male smoking rate is 44.6%. Among teenagers, 15% indicated as experimenters, another 8% confessed to being regular smokers. Smoking-related diseases had caused 35% of the death in Government hospitals in 2006. The Malaysian government launched a comprehensive national anti-smoking media campaign called “Tak Nak” in targeting at children, youth, women as well as smokers and the non-smokers. School education and advice from health professionals about dangers of smoking are also being done in Malaysia. Aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-smoking messages (Media campaign and education) among adolescents, adult smokers and adult nonsmokers in Malaysia. Data came from a prospective longitudinal cohort survey conducted among Malaysian adolescents (n=1008), adult smokers (n=2004) and adult non-smokers (n=1555). Respondents were asked about exposure to anti-smoking messages via various sources including “Tak Nak” campaign, frequency of noticing anti-smoking messages, knowledge of health effects of smoking, beliefs about the health risks of smoking, smoking susceptibility, social desirability of smoking, planning to quit, behavior and demographic information. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests and logistic regression models. Findings from our study revealed that television is the most effective media to disseminate anti-smoking messages in a wide-range of adult smokers, non-smokers and adolescents in Malaysia (>81%). Overall, the results suggest that Malaysia’s antismoking media campaign (Tak Nak) has resulted in a high level of public awareness (>87%) and knowledge about health effects of smoking in all three study groups.
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Keywords
The effectiveness of anti-smoking messages , among adolescents, adult smokers and adult nonsmokers in Malaysia
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