Scared straight? Fear-appeal anti-smoking campaigns, risk, self-efficacy and addiction

Authors: Thompson, L. E.; Barnett, J. R.; Pearce, J. R.

Source: Health, Risk & Society, Volume 11, Number 2, April 2009 , pp. 181-196(16)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

Smokers are becoming increasingly stigmatised in the contemporary West. Based on a qualitative study in Christchurch, New Zealand, this research aimed to investigate the ways that people respond to anti-smoking campaigns and to raise concerns about the ways that fear-appeal campaigns in particular may serve to reinforce the stigmatisation of 'hard-core' smokers. Generally, campaigns have been effective and behaviour change has occurred in groups and individuals who have high levels of self-efficacy. Those who do not perceive that they are efficacious respond in a variety of ways to these campaigns, but those unable or unwilling to change their smoking behaviour represent a hard-core of smokers, who may never be able to quit. Rather than simply cast these people as deviant or unruly, we argue that the nature of nicotine addiction should be addressed more broadly. Addiction to nicotine is perceived very differently to addiction to other addictive substances. More attention needs to be paid to different strategies to attempt to address the undeniable health implications for those who continue to smoke. As well as the strategies and campaigns that are currently used throughout the Western world, the on-ongoing use of NRT should be considered as should various smokeless tobacco products.

Keywords: anti-smoking campaigns; fear-appeal campaigns; smokeless tobacco; self-efficacy

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13698570902784281

Affiliations: 1: University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Publication date: 2009-04-01

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