Associations Between Pro/Anti-Tobacco Media and Messaging Exposure and Knowledge and Support of Smoke-Free Policy Among Adults in Armenia and Georgia

Authors

Cassidy R. LoParco, Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health (Drs LoParco and Berg), and George Washington Cancer Center (Dr Berg), George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia; Turpanjian College of Health Sciences, American University of Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia (Ms Sargsyan and Dr Petrosyan); Epidemiology, Surveillance and Analytics Division (Dr Topuridze) and Noncommunicable Diseases Department (Dr Sturua), Georgia National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia; Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy, Tbilisi, Georgia (Drs Topuridze, and Sturua); Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health (Dr Kegler), and Emory Prevention Research Center (Dr Kegler), Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; and Tobacco Control and Health Implementation Programs Department (Drs Torosyan and Ms Grigoryan), National Institute of Health named after academician S. Avdalbekyan, MOH, Yerevan, Armenia (Bazarchyan).
Zhanna Sargsyan
Marina Topuridze
Lela Sturua
Michelle C. Kegler
Varduhi Petrosyan
Arevik Torosyan
Lilit Grigoryan
Alexander Bazarchyan
Carla J. Berg

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

9-15-2023

Journal

Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMP

DOI

10.1097/PHH.0000000000001828

Abstract

CONTEXT: Despite high smoking rates, Armenia and Georgia recently adopted smoke-free policies (2022 and 2018). OBJECTIVE: We examined associations between exposure to pro-tobacco media (news opposing smoke-free policies; cigarette, e-cigarette, heated tobacco product [HTP] advertisements) and anti-tobacco media (media, community-based action) and (1) knowledge that the policies applied to alternative tobacco products (ATPs), and (2) support for the policies applying to ATPs and various settings. DESIGN: We analyzed 2022 survey data. SETTING: Data were from 28 communities in Armenia and Georgia. PARTICIPANTS: The sample comprised 1468 adults (31.6% past-month smokers). METHODS: We conducted multivariable regressions, controlling for country and sociodemographics. RESULTS: Participants were knowledgeable that the policy applied to ATPs (79.2%) and supportive of them applying to ATPs and various settings (means = 3.43 and 3.00; 1-4 = strongly support). Greater exposure to anti-tobacco media/community-based action correlated with more likely knowing that the policies applied to ATPs and greater support of the policies applying to various settings; HTP advertisement exposure correlated with less support of the policies applying to various settings. Less exposure to news opposing smoke-free policies and greater exposure to media supporting such policies correlated with greater support of the policies applying to ATPs. CONCLUSIONS: Media and community-based action may promote smoke-free policy knowledge and support. HTP advertisements may uniquely undermine smoke-free policies.

APA Citation

LoParco, Cassidy R.; Sargsyan, Zhanna; Topuridze, Marina; Sturua, Lela; Kegler, Michelle C.; Petrosyan, Varduhi; Torosyan, Arevik; Grigoryan, Lilit; Bazarchyan, Alexander; and Berg, Carla J., "Associations Between Pro/Anti-Tobacco Media and Messaging Exposure and Knowledge and Support of Smoke-Free Policy Among Adults in Armenia and Georgia" (2023). GW Authored Works. Paper 3393.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/3393

Department

Prevention and Community Health