Health Campaigns

The Quit Campaign in Australia and Singapore

Children in Australia spend on average $60 Million year on cigarettes, with some 70,000 teenagers starting to smoke every year. Health effect associated with smoking are well known – 75 percent of all lung cancers are associated with smoking. But there are also immediate problems. Quit Victoria has found in research that children who smoke are more likely to be absent from school because of smoking – related ailments and for truancy and suspension.

In order to deal with the significant health issues associated with t this, quit Victoria has designed a series of health campaigns to try to reduce the prevalence of smoking among children. Both qualitative and quantitative research have been used to develop campaigns targeting schools, promotion in sport (which appeals to young males) and advertising campaigns that are used encourage young girls not to take up the habit. Research has not only examined how to discourage demand for cigarettes but also the supply of what is for children an illegal product to purchase.

Research which evaluates the success of the campaign, both in attitudes to smoking and behaviour, has also been very important in demonstrating to government the effectiveness of such campaigns and how they might be improves in the future. Evaluation research of anti smoking campaigns has also been important in New Zealand.

Part 1 Introduction to the research process

A similar campaign has been developed in Singapore, which is called the National Smoking Control Program. Its main activities:

•  A National smoking control campaign is held annually to raise awareness on the harmful effects of smoking and encourage smokers to quit smoking.
•  Mass media is used extensively and innovative publicity events and programs are organised to elicit maximum media coverage.
•  Interpersonal activities are conducted throughout the year at various settings such as schools, workplaces, and healthcare and community venues.
•  The Outline (131 848) is another feature of the program. Staffed by trained nurse-counsellors, callers can seek advice and/or information on how to quit smoking or how to help someone quit.
•  Quit services are provided by three hospitals, 16 polyclinics and some non-government organisations. Teachers who are interested in helping their students stop smoking are trained to conduct at a school-based smoking cessation program.
•  As in Australia, such campaigns have developed on the basis of market research, using a number of approaches (exploratory, descriptive and causal). The campaigns are also evaluated regularly by government so that their effectiveness can be determined.

QUESTIONS

1. What type of market research do you think is appropriate in order to develop and evaluate the Quit Campaign in Australia ?
2. What differences, if any,in market research do you think would occur between market research in Singapore and Australia in this case ?