Beginning September of 2012, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has mandated more prominent health warnings on all cigarette packaging as part of an effort to educate the public about the health risks associated with smoking. Project CLEAR (Cigarette Labels: Effectiveness and Resonance) is a community-based participatory research project in Boston, Lawrence and Worcester, with the goal of studying the impact of the newer graphic health warnings on smokers and non-smokers. This study is funded by the FDA, implemented by the Harvard School of Public Health and the BACH is one of its community partners.
Project CLEAR will study both youth (18-24) and adult (25+) populations with specific focus on individuals belonging to one or more of the following groups: African Americans, Hispanics, low socioeconomic status individuals, chronic disease patients, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender individuals, and blue collar workers.
Some of the studies specific aims include:
- To study the impact of new FDA-mandated health warnings on smokers and non-smokers from vulnerable population groups.
- To assess which of the nine new Graphic Health Warnings is most effective across different groups.
- To examine if the effects of health warnings last beyond the period of immediate exposure and whether there are differences in longer term effects among different population groups.
- To examine the impact of exposure to the new health warnings on the flow of information within online and off-line social networks.
- To assess the needs of community-based organizations (CBO’s) to support local community efforts on tobacco control after the implementation of health warnings.
A mixed methods research will be used to develop an integrated picture of the potential impact of the new graphic health warnings. Data will be collected through experiments, focus groups and key informant interviews. Study results will be shared with the FDA and the community partners to help local health promotion efforts.
For more information on the project, please contact Project Director, Sara Minsky, at sara_minsky@dfci.harvard.edu or call 617-582-7735.