| Summary: | Background
Pictorial warnings
are among the most prominent and cost-effective health communications
available.There are substantial literature that pictorial warning are effective among older tobacco user ,who have experienced symptoms of illness but does not have preventive effect on youth who reportedly see the messages as lacking relevance and realism .Use of tobacco
product is prevalent in all ages but youth have been particularly vulnerable
and tobacco use among them means exposure will be longer with subsequent high
adverse consequences .Prevalence of tobacco
use in Chandigarh among youth (15-24 yrs) is 20 % .Therefore
knowledge of pictorial warnings among youth becomes essential to monitor and
assess the effectiveness of tobacco controls efforts . Adolescents and young adults are particularly vulnerable to influences of
use tobacco use.
Methods
A cross sectional survey was conducted among 1000 students A set of six pictorial warnings were shown to students and they were
asked to score between 1(low) to 5
(high) for seven indicators (accuracy, noticeable, scary,informative,reduce
tobacco consumption, helps to quit and stop initiation). The mean of set of six
pictures were measured, for each of 7 indicators
Results
Among all six
pictures, Picture 4 (Face cancer)and Picture 6 (mouth cancer)were considered
most accurate by study population. Picture 2(cancer of mouth in young boy) was
perceived as most noticeable, while
Picture 6(mouth cancer) was most scary. Overall Picture 4 (Mouth Cancer) was
perceived most informative, helps to reduce tobacco consumption, helps to quit
and stop initiation of tobacco use. A majority of participants reported that
pictorial warning on tobacco product is scary
Conclusions
This study concludes that pictorial warning have significant effect on tobacco prevalence and quit attempts in Chandigarh,India .Pictorial warning
arouse fear feelings among participants. More the scarier the
pictorial warming more will be impact on youth in quit intentions
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