LGBT Identity and Its Influence on Perceived Effectiveness of Advertisements from a LGBT Tobacco Public Education Campaign

J Health Commun. 2019;24(5):469-481. doi: 10.1080/10810730.2019.1615582. Epub 2019 May 22.

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals are at increased risk for tobacco use compared to those who are not LGBT. The Food and Drug Administration's Center for Tobacco Products launched the first U.S. large-scale tobacco public education campaign for LGBT young adults aged 18-24, This Free Life. The current study, using data from the evaluation of the This Free Life campaign, investigated the role of LGBT Identity Affirmation (i.e., the development of positive feelings or attachment to being LGBT), LGBT Identity Centrality (i.e., the degree to which an aspect of a person's identity shapes their overall identity), and Identification with the LGBT Community (i.e., an individual's relationship with the LGBT community) on perceived effectiveness of four This Free Life advertisements. The current study sample included 2,788 LGBT young adults. For the "Our Story" and "Flawless" advertisements, all three identity constructs were statistically significant positive predictors of perceived advertisement effectiveness. For female-centric and male-centric "Tip the Scale" advertisements, LGBT Identity Centrality and Identification with the LGBT Community were significant positive predictors. An additional secondary analysis found differences in identity constructs between sexual and gender minority subgroups. These results support that identity constructs may be leveraged in health interventions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Advertising*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Health Education*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Program Evaluation
  • Sexual and Gender Minorities / psychology*
  • Sexual and Gender Minorities / statistics & numerical data
  • Social Identification*
  • Tobacco Use / prevention & control*
  • Young Adult