Beyond Educating the Masses
The Role of Public Health Communication in Addressing Socioeconomic- and Residence-based Disparities in Tobacco Risk Perception
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21617264 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Mesfin A Bekalu (0000-0003-1243-5813, Harvard University, corresponding author), Daniel A Gundersen (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute), Daniel Gundersen (0000-0003-2543-9231, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute), K Viswanath (0000-0002-4795-5803, Harvard University) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 214-221 |
| Publication date | 2022-01-28 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Health Communication (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1041-0236 • E-ISSN: 1532-7027 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10410236.2020.1831755 |
| PMID | 33054385 |
| OpenAlex | W3093073909 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 22 |
Public health communication has long been a key component of tobacco control efforts. However, little is known whether and how such an effort could address disparities in tobacco risk perceptions among population subgroups. In this study, using data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey of Ethiopia, we examined if tobacco risk perceptions varied across socioeconomic and urban vs. rural population subgroups, and whether and how exposure to anti-smoking message was associated with disparities in risk perceptions across socioeconomic and urban-rural subgroups. The results indicated that health risk perceptions of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure were significantly lower among rural, less educated and less affluent population subgroups. Controlling for age, gender, education, wealth, place of residence, and pro-smoking message exposure, anti-smoking message exposure was associated with greater risk perceptions of smoking. Moreover, anti-smoking message exposure moderated the associations of place of residence and education with risk perceptions of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure, respectively. The probability of risk perception of smoking associated with anti-smoking message exposure was higher among the rural populace compared to urbanites. Similarly, the probability of risk perception of secondhand smoke exposure associated with anti-smoking message exposure was the highest among individuals without formal education compared to those with primary, secondary, and college-level education. The findings suggest that efforts should be made to make sure adequate anti-smoking message exposure among less educated and rural audiences so as to reduce disparities in tobacco risk perceptions
Environmental health · Perception · Population · Public health · Residence · Risk perception · Rural area · Socioeconomic status · Tobacco control · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Demography · Media Influence and Health · Medicine · Psychology · Smoking Behavior and Cessation
Lessons Learned from Public Health Mass Media Campaigns
Exposing and addressing tobacco industry conduct in low-income and middle-income countries
Media use and HIV/Aids knowledge
Mass Media
The role of communication inequality in mediating the impacts of socioecological and socioeconomic disparities on HIV/Aids knowledge and risk perception
Socioeconomic Status, Smoking, and Health
Socioeconomic Disparities in Health Behaviors
| Citations per year | 0.5 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2022 - 2025 (4) |
| Highly cited | No |