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Comment
. 2015 Dec;49(6):e133-4.
doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2015.08.005. Epub 2015 Oct 9.

"Tips From Former Smokers" Can Benefit From Considering All Available Data: Reply to McAfee et al

John W Ayers  1 , Benjamin M Althouse  2
Affiliations
Comment

"Tips From Former Smokers" Can Benefit From Considering All Available Data: Reply to McAfee et al

John W Ayers et al. Am J Prev Med. 2015 Dec.
No abstract available

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Peer reviewed evidence regarding Tips, 2012-2013
The graph shows the change in 1-800-Quit-Now calls during Tips 2012 and Tips 2013 compared to a similar period for 2011 as derived from the initial Tips 2012 study; the results of our study regarding Google searches for cessation (e.g., “quit smoking”) during Tips 2012 and Tips 2013 compared to the same period for 2011, but with the analyses for Tips 2013 combined into a single estimate; the changes in smokefree.gov visits during Tips 2012 and Tips 2013 compared to the same period for 2011 as also derived from the initial Tips 2012 study. These reanalyses used the entire window (e.g., start and end dates of Tips) to specify the portions of the time series used in the analysis, however, the results yield the same conclusions if we only analyze a subset of weeks with the highest advertisement volume for Tips 2013 as derived from the commenters’ figure. Changes in self-reported quit attempts were derived from responses before and after Tips for Tips 2012 and differences in quit attempts between respondents recalling exposure versus not recalling exposure to Tips in a cross-sectional study for Tips 2013, both after controlling for confounders in a multiple logistic regressions. All reanalyses relied on a relative measure comparing the difference in the observed and counterfactual outcomes, subsequently divided by the counterfactual, indicating a percent change (e.g., Tips 2012 quit attempts was ~(34%-31%)/31%). This makes the analyses across the diverse metrics comparable on a similar scale.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

References

    1. McAfee T, Davis KC, Cox S, Beistle D. Google Searches or Quit Attempts as a Success Measure for an Antismoking Campaign. Am J Prev Med. 2015 In Press. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ayers JW, Althouse BM, Emery S. Changes in Internet searches associated with the “Tips From Former Smokers” Campaign. Am J Prev Med. 2015;48(6):e27–e29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2015.03.015. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. McAfee T, Davis KC, Alexander RL, Pechacek TF, Bunnell R. Effect of the first federally funded U.S. antismoking national media campaign. Lancet. 2013;382(9909):2003–2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61686-4. - DOI - PubMed
    1. CDC Increases in quitline calls and smoking cessation website visitors during a national tobacco education campaign - March 19-June 10, 2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2012;61:667–670. - PubMed
    1. Huang LL, Thrasher JF, Abad EN, et al. The U.S. National Tips From Former Smokers Antismoking Campaign: Promoting Awareness of Smoking-Related Risks, Cessation Resources, and Cessation Behaviors. Health Educ Behav. 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1090198114564503. - DOI - PMC - PubMed