Perceptions of Tobacco Advertising in Association with Smoking Intentions and Smoking Status

By on May 15, 2023. Posted in .

 

Renie Cuyno Mellen1, Aditya Lia Ramadona2, Ifa Najiyati1, Zakiya Ammalia Farahdilla1, Widia Adiratna1, Retna Siwi Padmawati1,2

1 Center for Health Behaviour and Promotion; Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 55281

2Department of Health Behavior, Environment, and Social Medicine; Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 55281

Corresponding authors: renie.cuyno.m@ugm.ac.id

Abstract

Background: The internet and social media are crucial to tobacco industry marketing to promote their product in Indonesia. However, this is not reciprocated by strict regulations and government bans on cigarette advertising and promotion on social media. Scientifically, this relates to intention and smoking behavior. Compared to those who were not, participants who were exposed to smoking-related content on social media had a greater chance of smoking throughout their lifespan. Higher exposure to e-cigarette advertising and content on social media is associated with a higher risk for e-cigarette use among adolescents.

Objective: This survey was conducted to obtain an overview of the association of cigarette advertisements on social media with smoking intentions and smoking status. 

Method: We conducted a quantitative survey from October 2022 – January 2023. We did an online survey using Google Form and collected the data with an enumerator in Café BasaBasi Nologaten Yogyakarta as the potential place in Yogyakarta. The total number of participants in this study was 1.019 respondents, with 20 people refusing to become participants and 999 willing to become participants.

Result: There was a relationship between the perception of cigarette advertisements on social media with the desire to smoke, smoking status, and trying to smoke (P<0.05). Respondents who smoked the most indicated that cigarette advertisements were quite attractive (48.26%), while respondents who did not smoke indicated that cigarette advertisements were not attractive (41.03%). Perceptions of cigarette advertisements were very attractive 55% of respondents who very often tried smoking. The perception of cigarette advertisements was very attractive 45.83% of respondents who really wanted to smoke. Respondents who had never smoked stated that the perception of cigarette advertisements was not interesting 39.33% and quite interesting 31.82%.

Conclusion: Since there was a relationship between cigarette advertising on social media, smoking intention, and smoking status, as well as the lack of regulations on cigarette advertising, the policy must be implemented thoroughly and there should be a leader for implementation in the field, especially advertising on social media.

Keywords: tobacco advertising, smoking intention, smoking status

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