Development and Effectiveness Evaluation of a Participatory Media Campaign on Smoking Behavior Among Students: A Case Study at the University of Phayao

Abstract

The objectives of the research were to 1) develop a media campaign for smoking prevention and cessation with student participation, and 2) evaluate the effectiveness of the media campaign on students' smoking prevention and cessation behaviors. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining participatory action research and focus group interviews with 30 participants, both smokers and non-smokers. Additionally, an experimental research design was utilized, incorporating a survey of 64 participants, including both smokers and non-smokers, who watched short films. Data were collected through online surveys. As a result of the research, university students participated in the production of two short films. These students included both those with a background in media production and other who were interested in the project. This process enabled the students to enhance their creative capabilities in media production and gain increased knowledge about smoking. Regarding the evaluation of the effectiveness of the short films through focus group discussions, it was found that 1) non-smokers: the short films provided them with a better understandingof smoking risks and more emphasized the dangers of cigarettes. However, their opinions varied depending on their personal preferences, prior experiences with films, and academic backgrounds, and 2) smokers: while they absorbed some messages from the films, they were not impactful enough to make them quit smoking. Two main reason were identified: the content of the film focused on electronic cigarettes, making it less relatable to some viewers, and even if they wanted to quit smoking their social circles includes smokers, making it difficult for them to stop. In the experimental research, both non-smokers and smokers shared the same attitude that content related to death and love influenced smoking prevention and cessation, respectively. Additionally, smokers expressed that content addressing smoking-related diseases also impacted their smoking cessation behavior. Hypothesis testing revealed that the attitudes of both smoker and non-smoker towards smoking-related information before watching the short films were not significantly different. After watching two short films, there was still no significant difference in the attitudes at the 0.05 level.