CRITICAL ARTICLE

Critical Article

Critical Article: The relationship between receptivity to media models of smoking and nicotine dependences among South African adolescents

Introduction

In this paper we are going to critique the article The relationship between receptivity to media models of smoking and nicotine dependences among South African adolescents written by Judith S Brook, Kerstin Pahl, Neo K Morojele. The authors demonstrate that In the bivariate analysis, the relationship between receptivity to pro-tobacco media advertising cigarette smoking, was relatively consistent across ethnic groups.

Critique

Although opportunities for exposure to pro-tobacco media are vast, the results of this study suggest that message effects from pro-tobacco advertising are not uniform across ethnic groups. Significant differences in receptivity to pro-tobacco media for adolescents from different ethnic backgrounds are apparent. Compared with non-Hispanic Whites, receptivity to pro-tobacco media was significantly lower among youth from African American, Asian American, and Hispanic ethnic minority groups. Among these three ethnic minority groups, receptivity was lower for African American and Asian American youth than for Hispanic youth. Interestingly, the pattern of ethnic differences in media receptivity is consistent with the reported patterns of ethnic differences in cigarette smoking; that is, non-Hispanic Whites reported the highest level of cigarette use, African.

Findings from this study are consistent with the results of other related studies that suggest that receptivity to pro-tobacco media is an important predictor variable for cigarette smoking behaviors among adolescents. There is a positive dose±response relationship between media receptivity and 30-day cigarette smoking across ethnic groups. Pro-tobacco media has been repeatedly demonstrated to be a risk factor for smoking susceptibility (Altman et al., 1996; DiFranza et al., 1994; Unger et al., 1995), smoking initiation (Pierce & Gilpin, 1995; Pierce, Lee, & Gilpin 1994; Unger & Chen, 1999) and progression to higher levels of cigarette use (Biener & Siegel, 2000; Pierce, Gilpin et al., 1998; Pierce & Gilpin 1995; Pierce et al., 1991; Sargent, Dalton, & Beach, 2000; Sargent, Dalton, Beach, Bernhardt, Heatherton, & Stevens, 2000). The present findings support the hypothesis that tobacco advertising is associated with current tobacco use among adolescents.

To prevent adolescent smoking, it is advisable to protect vulnerable populations from exposure to pro-tobacco media by inoculating the potential recipients and reducing the sources of tobacco advertising. Regulations should greatly limit tobacco advertising in locations with high youth exposure such as convenience stores and young adult magazines (Independent Evaluation Consortium, 2001). Educational strategies that build critical viewing skills and help youth develop resistance against media portrayals may lessen the persuasive effects of pro-tobacco media (Austin & Johnson, 1997).

Another interesting finding from this article is that the strength of associations between media receptivity on smoking behaviors differs depending on which item is used to measure receptivity. For example, the item ``having favorite tobacco ads'' showed very weak or no significant association with self-reported 30-day cigarette smoking, while the item ``having cigarette brand preference'' showed the highest level of association. The items of ``having ever received'' or ``would ever use'' tobacco promotion products showed a moderate level of ...