The Application of Youth Substance Use Media Campaigns to Problem Gambling: A Critical Evaluation

ABSTRACT

Despite the negative impact that problem gambling poses on individuals and society there have been few gambling prevention campaigns specifically targeting youth. The authors review the literature on past and current drug, alcohol, and tobacco use prevention media campaigns, examining the similarities across 25 health communication programs with the aim of viewing their applicability for the prevention of youth problem gambling. Critical features of effective campaigns are identified and assessed in terms of their applicability for youth problem gambling. Recommendations for the design, implementation, and evaluation of a youth gambling media campaign are discussed.

This research was supported by a grant to Drs. Derevensky and Gupta from the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre. The material reviewed in this article and the conclusions drawn are those solely of the authors and not necessarily that of the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre. The authors thank Carmen Messerlian, Dr. Maggie Magoon, and Julie Irving for their assistance.

Notes

*Campaigns with no measure of reach or below 50% reach (meaning that at least half of the target group did not recall the message or characteristics of the message).

Note. Campaign evaluations that relied on pre–post measures administered only in the context of controlled viewing of campaign messages (e.g., in a classroom) are labeled “limited data.”