The power of survivor advocacy: making car trunks escapable.
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Survivor advocates are powerful workers for injury prevention. Some of the major prevention successes have been due in large part to their efforts. This case history examines the four year campaign to prevent entrapment in car trunks (or boot) through the routine installation of interior trunk releases. It traces how a life altering event began a cluster of activities leading to product redesign and regulation to prevent injury. The following elements were key: data and the lack thereof, identification of possible solutions, newsworthy tragedies and media advocacy, politics and sympathetic lawmakers, an agency with regulatory authority, manufacturers, and trade associations. Survivors can assist the injury field because the personal and the professional complement each other in advocacy. Public health professionals can assist survivor advocates by sharing research, data and organizational skills, and by helping to secure grants. (+info)
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an the mass media be healthy sex educators?
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PROBLEM/CONDITION: Tobacco use is the single leading preventable cause of death in the United States, accounting for approximately, 430,000 deaths each year. The prevalence of cigarette smoking nationwide among high school students increased during the 1990s, peaking in 1996-1997, then began a gradual decline. Approximately 80% of tobacco users initiate use before the age of 18 years. If the trend in early initiation of cigarette smoking continues, approximately 5 million children aged <18 years who are living today will die prematurely as adults because they began to smoke cigarettes during adolescence. The economic liability associated with tobacco use ranges from $50 billion to $73 billion per year in medical expenses alone. Because of these health and economic consequences, CDC has recommended that states establish and maintain comprehensive tobacco control programs to reduce tobacco use among youth. REPORTING PERIOD: February 1998 through December 1999. DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM: To assist states in developing and maintaining their state-based comprehensive tobacco prevention and control programs, CDC developed the Youth Tobacco Surveillance and Evaluation System, which includes international, national, and state school-based surveys of middle school and high school students. Two components of this system are discussed--the National Youth Tobacco Survey and the state Youth Tobacco Surveys. The national survey is representative of students in the 50 states and the District of Columbia; 15,061 students in 131 schools completed questionnaires in 1999. The state surveys were first conducted in 1998, when three states participated, and in 1999, when 13 states participated (13 states conducted middle school surveys and 10 states conducted high school surveys); state sample sizes ranged from 452 to 15,478 students. This report summarizes data from the 1999 national survey and the 1998 and 1999 state surveys. RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION: Findings from the National Youth Tobacco Survey show current tobacco use ranges from 12.8% among middle school students to 34.8% among high school students. Cigarette smoking is the most prevalent form of tobacco used, followed by cigars and smokeless tobacco. Young people have strong cigarette brand preferences. Almost half of current smokers in both middle school and high school report that they usually smoke Marlboro cigarettes. Black students are more likely to smoke Newport cigarettes than any other brand. Half of current smokers in middle school and high school report that they want to completely stop smoking. Nearly one fourth of middle school and high school students who have never smoked cigarettes indicate that they are susceptible to initiating smoking in the next year. Environmental tobacco smoke exposure is very high among both middle school and high school students. During the week before the survey, approximately 9 out of 10 current smokers and half of never smokers were in the same room with someone who was smoking; 8 out of 10 current smokers and 3 out of 10 never smokers rode in a car with someone who was smoking. Six out of 10 current smokers and 3 out of 10 never smokers live in a home where someone else smokes cigarettes. Approximately 70% of middle school and 60% of high school students who currently smoke and are aged <18 years were not asked to show proof of age when they purchased cigarettes. Approximately three fourths of middle school and high school students have seen antismoking commercials; however, 90% report having seen actors smoking on television or in the movies. Approximately 2% of middle school and high school students who had never used tobacco would wear or use something with a tobacco company name or picture on it. This rate increases to approximately 20% for current tobacco users. ACTIONS TAKEN: Youth Tobacco Survey data are used by health and education officials to improve national and state programs to prevent and control youth tobacco use. (ABSTRACT TRUN (+info)
Lessons learned from the tobacco industry's efforts to prevent the passage of a workplace smoking regulation.
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OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the implementation of tobacco industry strategies to prevent a workplace smoking regulation. METHODS: Tobacco industry internal documents were identified; hearing transcripts for the affiliations, arguments, and positions regarding the regulation of testifiers were coded; and media coverage was analyzed. RESULTS: Tobacco industry strategies sought to increase business participation and economic discussions at public hearings and to promote unfavorable media coverage of the regulation. The percentage of business representatives opposing the regulation grew from 18% (5 to 28) to 57% (13 of 23) between the hearings. Economic arguments opposing the regulation rose from 25% (7 of 28) to 70% (16 of 23). Press coverage was neutral and did not increase during the period of the regulatory hearings. CONCLUSIONS: The tobacco industry was successful in implementing 2 of its 3 strategies but was not able to prevent passage of the comprehensive workplace regulation. (+info)
Factors influencing a communitywide campaign to administer hepatitis A vaccine to men who have sex with men.
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OBJECTIVES: A hepatitis A outbreak among men who have sex with men (MSM) led to a publicly funded vaccination campaign. We evaluated the MSM community's response. METHODS: A cohort of MSM from 5 community sites was surveyed. RESULTS: Thirty-four (19%) of 178 potential vaccine candidates received the vaccine during the campaign. We found a linear relation between the number of exposures to campaign information and the likelihood of vaccination (P < .001). Vaccination was independently associated with awareness of the outbreak and the vaccine, having had sexual relations with men for 12 years or longer, having recently consulted a physician, and routinely reading a local gay newspaper. CONCLUSIONS: The difficult task of vaccinating MSM can be aided by repetitive promotional messages, especially via the gay media. (+info)
Influence of a counteradvertising media campaign on initiation of smoking: the Florida "truth" campaign.
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OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the short-term effects of television advertisements from the Florida "truth" campaign on rates of smoking initiation. METHODS: A follow-up survey of young people aged 12 to 17 years (n = 1820) interviewed during the first 6 months of the advertising campaign was conducted. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the independent effects of the campaign on smoking initiation while other factors were controlled for. RESULTS: Youths scoring at intermediate and high levels on a media effect index were less likely to initiate smoking than youths who could not confirm awareness of television advertisements. Adjusted odds ratios between the media index and measures of initiation were similar within categories of age, sex, susceptibility, and whether a parent smoked. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to the "truth" media campaign lowered the risk of youth smoking initiation. However, the analysis did not demonstrate that all such media programs will be effective. (+info)
Exposure of adolescent girls to cigar images in women's magazines, 1992-1998.
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OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the exposure of adolescent girls to cigar images in women's magazines from 1992 to 1998. METHODS: Data were obtained from the 5 women's magazines with the highest readership of adolescent girls. RESULTS: We found a significant upward trend in cigar images portrayed in women's magazines and a significant increase in the portrayal of women cigar smokers over the period observed. Cigar images were less likely than cigarette images to promote tobacco or nontobacco products. Among advertisements, nearly all those that featured cigars promoted nontobacco products; advertisements featuring cigarettes overwhelmingly promoted tobacco products. CONCLUSIONS: Between 1992 and 1998, adolescent readers of women's magazines were increasingly exposed to images of cigars. (+info)
The cigar revival and the popular press: a content analysis, 1987-1997.
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OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine print media coverage of cigars during the period 1987 to 1997. METHODS: A content analysis of 790 cigar-focused newspaper and magazine articles was conducted. RESULTS: Cigar-focused articles increased substantially over the study period, paralleling increased cigar consumption. Articles focused on cigar business (39%) and events (19%). Only 4% of articles focused on health effects. Sixty-two percent portrayed cigars favorably. The tobacco industry was mentioned in 54% of articles and portrayed positively in 78%. Forty-two percent of the individuals quoted or described in articles were affiliated with the tobacco industry; only 5% were government/public health figures. CONCLUSIONS: Print coverage of cigars failed to communicate health risk messages and contributed to positive images of cigars. (+info)