A SURVEY was carried out to examine the balance between health-promoting advertisements and those for potentially health-damaging products in central Belfast. The latter group included tobacco products, alcohol and confectionery. All advertise ments on hoardings within a one kilometre radius of the centre of Belfast were assigned to one of four categories: advertisements for potentially health- damaging products, advertisements containing health promotion messages, advertisements making health claims, and neutral advertisements. Adver tisements for potentially health-damaging products outnumbered those carrying health promotion mess ages by a ratio of ten to one. The total area of ad vertising space devoted to these products was substantially greater than the area devoted to health promotion messages, as was the amount of money spent on advertising them. While it is recognised that the advertising of health promotion messages may have a limited role in health promotion cam paigns, there are a number of factors which should be considered before using this method of communication.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
World Health Organisation.Health promotion: a discussion document on the concept and principles. Copenhagen, WHO, Regional Office for Europe, 1984.
2.
Chapman S.Cigarette advertising and smoking: a review of the evidence In. Smoking out the barons: the campaign against the tobacco industry. London, British Medical Association, 1986
3.
Aitken PP, Leathar DS, O'Hagan FJ, Squair SI Children's awareness of cigarette advertisements and brand imagery. British Journal of Addiction1987, 82: 615-22.
4.
Goldstein AO , Fischer MD, Richards JW, Creten D.Relationship between high school student smoking and recognition of cigarette advertisementsJournal of Pediatrics1987; 110: 488-91
5.
Davis S., McLean S.Smoking habits and beliefs, and attitudes to cigarette advertisements, amongst grade 6 children. Community Health Stud1987 , 11 (Suppl) 35s-40s
6.
DHSS Change of heart programme Strategy for prevention of coronary heart disease in Northern Ireland Belfast, DHSS, 1986
7.
Matthews PRMedicine and the mediaBritish Medical Journal1986, 293: 442
8.
Barton R., Godfrey S.Un-health promotion results of a survey of alcohol promotion on televisionBritish Medical Journal1988, 296: 1593-94
9.
Nelson H.The economic consequences of smoking in Northern IrelandBelfastUlster Cancer Foundation, 1986 .
10.
Fynn AECigarette advertising and health education. use and abuse of the media In Leathar DS, Hastings GB, Davis JK. (Eds) Health education and the media proceedings of an international conferenceOxfordPergamon Press Ltd, 1981.
