Laura Louise Struik*, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, Canada Joan L Bottorff, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, Canada Mary Jung, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, Canada Claire Budgen, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, Canada Track: Research Presentation Topic: Web 2.0 approaches for behaviour change, public health and biosurveillance Presentation Type: Oral presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Building: Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School Room: A-Pechet Room Date: 2012-09-15 04:45 PM – 05:30 PM Last modified: 2012-09-12

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Background: Although tobacco advertising is regulated, adolescent girls are being targeted on social networking sites by tobacco companies to promote smoking uptake. In particular, Facebook has been identified as a medium of choice for tobacco promotion directed towards girls. There is an urgent need to expand gender-based research focused on tobacco use to counter the use of this unregulated medium for pro-tobacco advertising directed towards young women.
Objectives: The use of social networking sites for smoking prevention directed towards young women was investigated. This study aimed to explore adolescent girls’ perspectives about utilizing social networking sites to deliver gender-sensitive tobacco control (TC) messages directed towards young women.
Methods: Interpretive descriptive methodology was used for this study. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 17 adolescent girls (smokers and non-smokers) aged 16 to 19. Participants were provided seven existing TC messages directed towards young women for evaluation and discussion. Focus group data were analysed using constant comparative methods.
Results: Important factors perceived to influence the effectiveness of TC messages disseminated through social networking sites related to ways in which gender and femininity are represented. The participants expressed concern about the perceived stereotypical representations of gender and femininity displayed in TC messages and warned that these aspects render TC messages as less effective. Important factors perceived to influence the effectiveness of TC messages disseminated through social networking sites principally related to message features that promote or inhibit “instant impact” of the messages on this medium. Instant impact was thought to be a critical feature of TC messages in gaining the attention of young women. The need for interactive elements within TC messages on social networking sites was also evident. There were several different ways that the participants thought interaction could be incorporated into the messages, such as through social sharing/broadcasting, media games and information “links.” The focus group participants also recommended incorporating animation into TC messages on social networking sites to gain the attention of young women and enhance the instant impact they thought would be effective. Also noteworthy was a preference by both smokers and non-smokers for positively-framed TC messages when delivered in a social networking site context.
Conclusions: Participants were receptive to receiving TC messages on social networking sites and recommended that messages be gender- and age-specific and include interactive, user-centered designs that take advantage of the web-based technologies available on social networking websites. This study provides important directions for the development and evaluation of TC messages directed towards young women on social media. Social networking sites are an untapped resource for gender-sensitive smoking prevention strategies and hold great potential for reaching youth.