Why do graphic health warnings fail: An explanatory case study on the persistence of smoking behavior among male adult smokers in a rural and low-income setting in the Philippines

BACKGROUND@#The Philippines enacted in 2014 Republic Act No. 10643 that mandated the printing of Graphic Health Warnings on tobacco packages. However, smoking behavior among male smokers in the country, particularly in rural and low-income areas, persists even if the Graphic Health Warnings are according to the guidelines set by the World Health Organization. Hence, this explanatory case study aims to examine why and how most male adult smokers in a rural and low-income setting in the Philippines fail to quit smoking despite the presence of Graphic Health Warnings on tobacco packages.@*METHODS@#Forty-four male adult smokers from Barangay Urdaneta in Magallanes, Cavite, were recruited to participate in this study through snowball sampling. They underwent semi-structured interviews about their history of smoking, experiences as a smoker, and perspectives on Graphic Health Warnings. Thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts was then carried out to identify emerging themes.@*RESULTS@#Findings showed Graphic Health Warnings fail to persuade against smoking because fear was not aroused enough for smoking cessation. Specifically, the perception of risk from smoking was low due to lack of literacy on its harmful effects, and self-efficacy needed for smoking cessation was low because of self-doubt and denial. Other factors, such as the subjective and social benefits of smoking, were likewise contributory to the persistence of smoking behavior.@*CONCLUSION@#All these concerns must be considered for an effective campaign against tobacco use and consumption since Graphic Health Warnings on tobacco packages is only one strategy to address the burden of tobacco smoking.

Análise da interferência da indústria do tabaco na implementação das advertências sanitárias nos derivados de tabaco no Brasil / Analysis of the interference of the tobacco industry in the implementation of health warnings on tobacco products in Brazil

O propósito desta dissertação de mestrado é entender a relação que se estabelece entre a adoção de uma medida reguladora pelo governo, com forte impacto na população, e a reação por ela gerada em grupos de interesse.O embasamento teórico do estudo proposto se fundamenta na teoria de políticas sociais, que estuda a ação de grupos de interesse contra a implantação de medidas reguladoras, neste caso específico, a influência da indústria fumageira e seus aliados, na implementação das advertências sanitárias em produtos de tabaco no Brasil.Esta dissertação é dividida em quatro partes, incluindo introdução, percurso teórico metodológico, resultados e discussão e conclusão e recomendações.A metodologia utilizada envolve o estudo de documentos relacionados à implementação e avaliação das advertências sanitárias nos produtos de tabaco comercializados no Brasil, assim como do arcabouço legislativo que amparou a introdução dessas advertências. Em paralelo, foi realizada uma busca dos documentos internos da indústria do tabaco, liberados em 1999 durante ações de litígio nos Estados Unidos, com o objetivo de identificar as reações do setor, no processo de introdução e adoção das advertências sanitárias no mundo e no Brasil. Este trabalho também apresenta a evolução histórica desta medida no Brasil, com o foco na reação da indústria do tabaco.Os resultados deste estudo sugerem que várias ações do governo foram permeadas pela interferência da indústria do tabaco. Em alguns casos as intervenções eram explícitas e em outros momentos eram indiretas ou obscuras.À luz do marco referencial adotado, concluiu-se que houve a interferência da indústria fumageira como um grupo de interesse, de pressão e de lobby nas políticas de advertências sanitárias adotadas. Esta dissertação trouxe informações inovadoras e originais no cenário nacional que poderão ser úteis aos gestores da saúde pública e tomadores de decisão, na promoção de políticas de controle do tabaco, com foco nas advertências sanitárias. Recomendações para a melhoria da condução estratégica da Política Nacional de Controle do Tabaco foram também desenvolvidas.

The purpose of this monograph is to understand the relationship between the adoption of a regulatory measure by the government, with strong impact over the population, and the reaction of interest groups. The theoretical framework of this study is the theory of social policies, which addresses the influence of interest groups against the adoption of regulatory measures, in this specific case, the interference of the tobacco industry and its allies in the regulatory framework of health warnings used on tobacco products in Brazil. The methodology involves the study of documents related to the implementation and evaluation of health warnings on tobacco products sold in Brazil, as well as on the legislative framework that based the introduction of these warnings in the country. In parallel, we conducted a search on tobacco industry’s internal documents, released in 1999 during a litigation process in the United States, aiming to identify the reactions of this sector in the process of introduction and implementation of health warnings globally and specifically in Brazil. This paper presents the historical evolution of this measure, with focus on tobacco industry’s reaction. The text of this monograph has four parts, comprising the introduction, theoretical and methodological aspects, results and discussion and conclusion and recommendations. The results of this study suggest that several governmental actions were targeted by tobacco industry’s interference. In some cases the influence was explicit and in other situations their presence was indirect and obscure. The study concludes that, following the theoretical referential, there is evidence that the industry has interfered on the health warnings regulatory and implementation framework in Brazil acting as an interest/pressure/lobby group. The results of this monograph shadow a new light on this area with useful and innovative information that might be relevant to decision makers and public health managers when 9 furthering tobacco control policies targeting health warnings measures. Recommendations for improvement in the strategic guidance of the Tobacco Control National Policy were made in this regard.

Ineffective pictorial health warnings on tobacco products: Lessons learnt from India.

Pictorial warnings are effective in promoting smoking cessation as shown by research in the developed countries. This study aims to determine perceptions of Indians about the effectiveness of pictorial health warnings on tobacco packs which existed from May 31, 2009, to December 1, 2011. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in five states of India with 1897 participants (56% males; 54% tobacco users). More tobacco users expressed that the pictorial warnings are inadequate to convey the health impact of tobacco use when compared with nonusers (71.50% vs. 62.75%; P < 0.001). More illiterates when compared with literates expressed their concern that the current pictorial warnings will not motivate them to quit (61.17% vs. 51.01%; P < 0.001). The new warnings implemented from December 1, 2011, in India are also not field-tested. Field testing and assessment of effectiveness of health warnings should be a mandatory requirement for Parties reporting on Article 11 of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Neurociências, artes gráficas e saúde pública: as novas advertências sanitárias para maços de cigarros / Neurosciences, graphic arts, and public health: new health warnings on cigarette packaging

A exposição a produtos derivados do tabaco é considerada a mais importante causa de morte evitável no mundo. Ações de controle do tabagismo envolvem uma gama de intervenções para ajudar pessoas a parar de fumar e prevenir que jovens não se tornem dependentes. Advertências sanitárias com imagens mostradas em embalagens de cigarro são uma das formas mais efetivas de informar acerca das consequências do tabagismo. Pesquisas em neurobiologia da emoção demonstram que estímulos visuais afetam atitudes e comportamentos; estímulos agradáveis promovem predisposições para aproximação e os aversivos, afastamento. Os apelos positivos que o marketing da indústria tabagista induz em suas embalagens devem ser neutralizados por advertências que mostrem os riscos de fumar, desconstruindo o apelo prazeroso e induzindo predisposições de afastamento em relação ao produto.

Exposure to tobacco products is considered the leading cause of avoidable death in the world. Tobacco control initiatives encompass a gamut of ways of helping people to quit smoking and keeping young people from ever becoming addicted. Pictorial health warnings on cigarette packaging constitute one of the most effective means of conveying information about the consequences of smoking. Research on the neurobiology of emotions shows that visual stimuli affect attitudes and behavior: pleasant stimuli prompt a tendency to approach while unpleasant stimuli prompt a tendency to avoid. The positive appeals placed on packaging by the tobacco industry's marketing departments should be neutralized by warnings that indicate the risks of smoking, thereby deconstructing any pleasurable appeal and prompting a tendency to avoid the product.