January 1999, Volume 113, Issue 1, Pages 19 - 25

Article

Health education pamphlets about smoking--their benefit to smokers and non-smokers L Meillier1, 2, M Osler2, S Sabroe1, B Christensen3, P Elsass4 & L Meyer5 1Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Aarhus, Hoegh-Guldbergs Gade 10, DK-8000 Aarhus C     2Institute of Public Health, Department of Social Medicine and Psychosocial Health, Institute of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen N<     3Department of General Practice, University of Aarhus, Hoegh-Guldbergsgade 8, DK-8000, Aarhus C     4Institute of Clinical Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Njaesgade 90, DK-2300, Copenhagen S     5The Clinic of Drug Abuse, The Council of Aarhus, Valdemarsgade 18V, DK-8900 Aarhus C     Correspondence to: Dr M Osler , Department of Social Medicine and Psychosocial Health, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200 N, Denmark.

Keywords

smoking;   health education leaflets;   smokers;   non-smokers;   Denmark

Abstract

The aim of this present study was to compare the use by smokers and non-smokers of pamphlets about smoking as delivered from different settings. The study was a nation-wide cross-sectional survey of 1924 randomly selected, Danish men and women, aged 14-77 y, who had answered a mailed questionnaire in 1994. Of these 71% also participated in a telephone interview enquiring about the use of health education material, smoking status and socio-demographic variables, 39% of readers of household-delivered anti-smoking pamphlets reported having gained information from them and 22% reported having made changes in their own smoking behaviour such as avoiding smoking in the presence of non-smokers. In general practice settings, these percentages were higher among smokers. Smokers who were thinking of stopping smoking in the near future were in addition more likely to take and to read smoking related health education materials from other places. Non-smokers received (3-49%) and read pamphlets about smoking as frequently as did smokers who did not intend to quit. In conclusion, written health education material was well received by readers, but, when distributed in a more open setting it needs to be targeted towards smokers who are considering stopping smoking. In general practice, smokers not thinking of stopping were open to health education, and pamphlets used in this setting should also target this group. Non-smokers contribute indirectly to smokers quitting by providing support to smokers and pamphlets for non-smokers need to be more targeted towards this social role.

Accepted 20 August 1998

^© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 1999