Public reaction to the portrayal of the tobacco industry in the film The Insider

Abstract

Objectives - To assess public perceptions of the tobacco industry and behavioural intentions for tobacco use in response to watching the film The Insider. Design - Self administered pre-film survey conducted immediately before viewing and post-film telephone survey conducted within 1-5 weeks of viewing. Setting - Two commercial cinemas in Melbourne, Australia. Subjects - 323 cinema patrons were recruited before screening of target films. 182 watched The Insider, 141 watched Erin Brockovich. Interventions - Subjects watched one of two films: The Insider which featured information about unethical conduct by the tobacco industry and negative information about the health effects of smoking, or t..