Impact of a non-smoking social norms marketing media campaign on college freshmen's perceptions and smoking behaviors

 

Kimberly Bradley

Advisor/Preceptor: Linda Hancock, Ph.D.

Purpose: This study assessed the impact of a low budget social norms marketing media campaign on college students smoking perceptions and behavior. Previous research indicates that college students' overestimate how many of their peers smoke. The goal of the intervention was to publicize accurate use rates and to correct overestimations thus making perceptions more accurate and preventing increases in tobacco use.

Methods: After the first week of class, a low budget social norms marketing media campaign was implemented at a large urban campus in the fall of 2000 The intervention consisted of black and white posters and table tents with the message that "7 of 10 students" don't smoke. A pre-test was given the first week of classes to freshmen enrolled in orientation classes. The study survey was optional and confidential and asked for last 4 digits of social security number. Ten weeks later, post-tests were administered in the same classes. Surveys were matched by using last 4 of social security number and demographic variables such as gender, race and major. 310 participants had matched pre-and post-intervention data.

Results: Paired t-tests were used to analyze the change in participants over time. At pre-intervention, the mean perception estimate of smoking was that 55.1% of students smoked. After the intervention, the mean estimate was that 45.7% smoked. Paired t-tests yielded a t-value of B8.34, df 306, p value <.0005. Smoking behavior was analyzed by looking at all participants, both smokers and non-smokers. Mean values were calculated for the number of days smoked per month, the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the number of cigarettes smoked per month. Paired t-tests indicate that there was no statistically significant change found between pre and post intervention smoking behavior.

Conclusion: A low budget Social Norms Marketing media campaign yielded findings similar to a high budget media campaign that was implemented and compared to a control group the preceding fall. This research suggests that even simple, low cost prevention measures can correct misperceptions and hold stable tobacco use behavior in college freshmen.