Increasing Tobacco Use Cessation: Mass Media-Cessation Series – Inactive

Inactive Community Guide Review

The reviews and findings listed on this page are inactive. Inactive reviews and findings are not scheduled for an update at this time, though they may be updated in the future. Findings become inactive when reviewed interventions are no longer commonly used, when other organizations begin systematically reviewing the interventions, or as a result of conflicting priorities within a topic area.

Summary of CPSTF Finding

The Community Preventive Services Task Force finds insufficient evidence to assess the effectiveness of cessation series (based on inadequate comparison populations or groups, and inconsistent results).

Intervention

Cessation series for tobacco cessation are mass media interventions that use instructional segments to recruit, inform, and motivate tobacco product users to begin and maintain efforts to quit. They can be coordinated with broadcast or print promotion, community education such as distribution of self-help cessation materials, and organization of cessation groups in the community. The series can range from several weeks to several months, and techniques include nightly or weekly segments on news broadcasts that provide expert advice or peer-group experiences.

CPSTF Finding and Rationale Statement

Read the Task Force Finding [PDF – 392 kB].

Context

There is no information for this section.

Summary of Results

Nine studies qualified for the review of this intervention.
  • All nine studies evaluated the effectiveness of cessation series combined with other interventions, such as community education (e.g., distribution of self-help cessation manuals), organized cessation groups or programs, or telephone cessation support.
  • Qualifying studies had inadequate comparison populations or groups and the results from these studies were inconsistent.

These findings were based on a systematic review of all available studies, conducted on behalf of the Task Force by a team of specialists in systematic review methods, and in research, practice and policy related to tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure.

Summary of Economic Evidence

An economic review of this intervention was not conducted because the Task Force did not have enough information to determine if the intervention works.

Applicability

Applicability of this intervention across different settings and populations was not assessed because the Task Force did not have enough information to determine if the intervention works.

Evidence Gaps

What are Evidence Gaps?

Each Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) review identifies critical evidence gaps areas where information is lacking. Evidence gaps can exist whether or not a recommendation is made. In cases when the Task Force finds insufficient evidence to determine whether an intervention strategy works, evidence gaps encourage researchers and program evaluators to conduct more effectiveness studies. When the Task Force recommends an intervention, evidence gaps highlight missing information that would help users determine if the intervention could meet their particular needs. For example, evidence may be needed to determine where the intervention will work, with which populations, how much it will cost to implement, whether it will provide adequate return on investment, or how users should structure or deliver the intervention to ensure effectiveness. Finally, evidence may be missing for outcomes different from those on which the Task Force recommendation is based.

Identified Evidence Gaps

Effectiveness

The effectiveness of increasing the unit price for tobacco products and mass media campaigns (when implemented with other interventions) is established. However, research issues regarding the effectiveness of these interventions remain.

  • What intervention components contribute most to effectiveness of multicomponent interventions? What components contribute the least?
  • What are the minimum and optimal requirements for the duration and intensity of mass media campaigns?
  • What are the most effective combinations of messages for mass media campaigns?
  • Do tobacco users respond differently to changes in product price that result from excise tax increases than to industry-induced increases?
  • How long do the effects of a single excise tax increase last? Because the effectiveness of mass media cessation series and smoking cessation contests has not been established, basic research questions remain.

Because the effectiveness of mass media cessation series and smoking cessation contests has not been established, basic research questions remain.

  • Are these interventions effective in increasing tobacco use cessation in the population?
  • Do recruited tobacco users exposed to these interventions quit at a greater rate than recruited tobacco users not exposed to these interventions?
  • What are the rates of participation in these interventions?

Applicability

The effectiveness of increasing the unit price and of mass media campaigns in reducing tobacco use in the population is established. However, identifying differences in the effectiveness of each intervention for specific subgroups of the population remains important.

  • Do significant differences exist regarding the effectiveness of these interventions, based on the level of scale (i.e., national, state, local) at which they are delivered?
  • What are the effects of mass media campaigns among populations that differ by race and ethnicity?

Other Positive or Negative Effects

Several potential negative effects of tobacco product price increases were reviewed in this evaluation. Although further research on the potential negative effects is warranted, evaluating the effect of potential positive effects of reductions in tobacco use should also be investigated to provide a complete picture of the effects of increases in state and federal excise taxes.

  • What are the effects of these interventions on reducing smoking-related fires? What are the effects on secondhand smoke exposure?
  • What proportion of smokers substitute tobacco products, modify their smoking habits, or both in response to an increase in the price of tobacco products? How much of the potential health benefit of a price increase is reduced by these behaviors? How can these potential problems be reduced?
  • Do mass media campaigns that focus on tobacco have additional effects on other drug use?

Economic Evaluations

The available economic information on mass media campaigns was limited. Considerable research is, therefore, warranted regarding the following questions:

  • What are the costs of mass media campaigns, especially campaigns that achieve an effective intensity over an extended duration?
  • How do the costs per additional quitter compare with other interventions intended to reduce tobacco use?
  • What is the cost-benefit, cost-utility, or cost per illness averted of these interventions?

Barriers

Implementation of these interventions requires political action and support. Research issues generated in this review include the following:

  • What components of successful legislative and referendum campaigns are most effective? What components are least effective?
  • What information is most important in gaining public support for these interventions? In gaining legislative support?
  • What are the most effective ways to maintain adequate funding levels for mass media campaigns?

Study Characteristics

No content is available for this section.

Publications

Hopkins D, Briss PA, Ricard CJ, et al. Reviews of evidence regarding interventions to reduce tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2001;20(2S):16-66.

Task Force on Community Services. Recommendations regarding interventions to reduce tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2001;20(2S):10-5.

Hopkins DP, Husten CG, Fielding JE, Rosenquist JN, Westphal LL. Evidence reviews and recommendations on interventions to reduce tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke: a summary of selected guidelines. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2001;20(2S):67-87.

Wasserman MP. Guide to community preventive services: state and local opportunities for tobacco use reduction. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2001;20(2S):8-9.

Curry SJ, Fiore MC, Burns ME. Community-level tobacco interventions: perspective of managed care. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2001;20(2S):6-7.

Satcher D. Forward: note from the Surgeon General. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2001;20(2S):1.

Warner KE. Tobacco control policy: from action to evidence and back again. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2001;20(2S):2-5.

Task Force on Community Services, Zaza S, Briss PA, Harris KW. Tobacco. In: The Guide to Community Preventive Services: What Works to Promote Health? Atlanta (GA): Oxford University Press; 2005:3-79.

Analytic Framework

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Summary Evidence Table

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Included Studies

Cummings KM, Sciandra R, Markello S. Impact of a newspaper mediated quit smoking program. American Journal of Public Health 1987;77:1452-3.

Flay BR, Gruder CL, Warnecke RB, Jason LA, Peterson P. One year follow-up of the Chicago televised smoking cessation program. American Journal of Public Health 1989;79:1377-80.

Jason LA, Gruder CL, Martino S, Flay BR, Warnecke R, Thomas N. Work site group meetings and the effectiveness of a televised smoking cessation intervention. American Journal of Community Psychology 1987;15:57-72.

Jason LA, Tait E, Goodman D, Buckenberger L, Gruder CL. Effects of a televised smoking cessation intervention among low-income and minority smokers. Am J Community Psychol 1988;16:863 76.

Millar WJ, Naegele BE. Time to quit: community involvement in smoking cessation. Canadian Journal of Public Health 1987;78:109-14.

Mudde AN, de Vries H. The reach and effectiveness of a national mass media-led smoking cessation campaign in The Netherlands. American Journal of Public Health 1999;89:346-50.

Salina D, Jason LA, Hedeker D, et al. A follow-up of a media-based, worksite smoking cessation program. American Journal of Community Psychology 1994;22:257-71.

Sutton S, Hallett R. Randomized trial of brief individual treatment for smoking using nicotine chewing gum in a workplace setting. American Journal of Public Health 1987;77:1210-1.

Warnecke RB, Langenberg P, Wong SC, Flay BR, Cook TD. The second Chicago televised smoking cessation program: a 24-month follow-up. American Journal of Public Health 1992;82:835-40.

Additional Materials

There is no information for this section.

Search Strategies

No content is available for this section.

Review References

There is no information for this section.

Considerations for Implementation

The Task Force did not have enough evidence to determine whether the intervention is or is not effective. This does not mean that the intervention does not work, but rather that additional research is needed to determine whether or not the intervention is effective.