(Press-News.org) A recent study revealed that there are significant disparities in how Philip Morris International's IQOS heated tobacco product is portrayed in newspapers and other media aimed at different demographic groups in Israel. Specifically, news media targeted at Israel's Arab population tends to present IQOS more positively and is more likely to include misinformation regarding its safety, social benefits, and accessibility, often relying on PMI as a primary information source. This contrasts with the portrayal in mainstream media and media aimed at the general public. These differences suggest potential biases which may influence consumer perceptions and behaviors regarding tobacco products.
A recent research initiative, published in Tobacco Control, led by Doctoral candidate Amal Khayat, Prof. Hagai Levine and Prof. Yael Bar-Zeev from the Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine at the Hebrew University-Hadassah, together with Prof. Carla Berg, Prof. Lorien Abroms and Dr. Yan Wang from George Washington University has uncovered significant disparities in the portrayal of Philip Morris International’s (PMI) IQOS, a prominent heated tobacco product, among minority groups in Israel.
The research found distinct differences in how Arab and Ultra-Orthodox media depict IQOS compared to the mainstream media. Arab media, in particular, tended to present IQOS more positively, and more likely to spread misinformation regarding its safety and social benefits, and frequently relying on PMI as a primary information source. Moreover, Arab media articles emphasized the accessibility of IQOS retail locations, mimicking advertisement.
PMI’s IQOS ranks as the top heated tobacco product globally and was introduced in Israel in 2016. Notably, advertising for all tobacco products, including IQOS, is prohibited in Israel except in print media. However, the study suggests that news media may serve as an alternative advertising channel, circumventing these advertising restrictions.
The favorable depictions of IQOS and PMI in media articles can significantly influence consumer perceptions and behaviors. While paid advertisements are known to target specific demographics, the impact of "earned" media such as news articles on these groups remains less clear.
Methodologically, the study analyzed media articles from January to October 2020 from Ifat media, utilizing abductive coding techniques. Statistical tests were employed to compare article characteristics across different subpopulations (Arab, Ultra-Orthodox Jews, and the general public). The analysis focused on understanding how IQOS and PMI were framed in the media to assess the tone and content of coverage.
The findings, based on 63 unique articles, revealed significant biases in media targeting of different subpopulations. Specifically, articles directed at Arabs and Ultra-Orthodox Jews portrayed IQOS more positively compared to those aimed at the general public—100% and 75% versus 52%, respectively. Arab media notably emphasized IQOS accessibility (81% versus 17% and 13%) and its social benefits (88% versus 8% and 17%) more prominently. Furthermore, 100% of articles in the Arab media reflected content from the tobacco company press release, compared to 35% in the general public media.
Prof. Levine, senior author: "The study underscores the critical need for rigorous media surveillance and regulatory measures, especially in media outlets targeting minority populations, to ensure fair and balanced reporting. The positive framing of IQOS in minority-targeted media highlights the potential influence of targeted marketing on public perceptions and tobacco product usage across diverse demographics. Minority populations in Israel, and likely in other countries, are not protected from the manipulative vicious marketing strategies of the tobacco industry, corrupting media outlets".
Amal Khayat, lead author: "We recommend enhanced media surveillance and regulation, particularly in minority-oriented media, to ensure accurate reporting on tobacco products. Understanding how different subpopulations, such as the Arab minority in Israel, perceive tobacco-related information can guide regulatory interventions to counteract potential misinformation and prevent disparities in tobacco-related behaviors. Our study also calls attention to the use of news media as an alternative marketing channel by tobacco companies in regions with advertising bans, advocating for measures to protect public health and mitigate the promotion of potentially harmful products."
END
Tobacco industry is specifically targeting Arab and Ultra-Orthodox news media in Israel
2024-07-17
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
New 3D anatomical atlas of the African clawed frog increases understanding of development and metamorphosis processes
2024-07-17
New 3D Anatomical Atlas of the African Clawed Frog Increases Understanding of Development and Metamorphosis Processes
The lifespan of Xenopus laevis is presented in unprecedented detail using high-quality X-ray microtomography images and 3D reconstructions to reveal embryonic development and metamorphosis processes.
A 3D anatomical atlas of the model organism Xenopus laevis (the African clawed frog) is now available to aid researchers in understanding embryonic development and metamorphosis — the intriguing process by which a tadpole transforms into a mature frog. The lack of availability of this type of data has greatly limited the ability to assess and understand these complex ...
Large study confirms: Siblings of autistic children have 20% chance of autism
2024-07-17
Siblings of autistic children have a 20% chance of being autistic themselves — about seven times higher than the rate in infants with no autistic siblings.
That’s the key finding of a new paper by UC Davis MIND Institute researcher Sally Ozonoff and the Baby Siblings Research Consortium. The consortium is a collection of more than 20 research groups at universities worldwide.
Ozonoff is a distinguished professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She has studied the recurrence of autism in families for decades.
The new study ...
Children with conduct disorder show widespread brain structural differences – new international study
2024-07-17
Conduct disorder in young people is associated with differences in surface area across much of the brain compared to typically developing children, new research shows.
Conduct disorder (CD) is a common, yet under-recognised condition with symptoms including antisocial or aggressive behaviours, such as, fighting, bullying and rule-breaking. It is usually diagnosed in childhood or adolescence and often leads to poor social and mental health outcomes. Unlike more widely recognised disorders such as ADHD and autism, CD is far less researched and understood, even though it is estimated to affect around 3% of children ...
Youth with conduct disorder show widespread differences in brain structure
2024-07-17
A neuroimaging study of young people who exhibit a persistent pattern of disruptive, aggressive, and antisocial behavior, known as conduct disorder, has revealed extensive changes in brain structure. The most pronounced difference was a smaller area of the brain’s outer layer, known as the cerebral cortex, which is critical for many aspects of behavior, cognition and emotion. The study, co-authored by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is published in The Lancet Psychiatry.
“Conduct disorder has among the highest burden of any mental disorder in youth. However, it remains understudied ...
Active commuting linked to lower risks of mental and physical ill health
2024-07-17
Commuters who cycle or walk to and from work or study may have lower risks of mental and physical ill health than those who don’t rely on these options, finds a large long term study published in the open access journal BMJ Public Health.
While health benefits were observed for both types of active commuting, the strongest health benefits were seen for cyclists among whom the risk of death from any cause was 47% lower, the findings show.
Active travel is considered to be one of the most practical and sustainable ways to increase daily physical activity, and there is mounting evidence in favour of its associated health ...
Resistance exercise ‘activity breaks’ at night may improve sleep length
2024-07-17
Resistance exercise ‘activity breaks’ at night may improve sleep length, suggest the findings of a small comparative study published in the open access journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.
Three-minute breaks every 30 minutes over a period of 4 hours may be all that’s needed, the findings indicate.
Current recommendations discourage intense exercise before going to bed, on the grounds that it increases body temperature and heart rate, which can result in poorer sleep quality, say the researchers.
While activity breaks can improve metabolism after a meal, it’s not clear if they have any impact on sleep. Poor sleep is associated with an increased ...
IBS following gastroenteritis may last 4+ years in around half of those affected
2024-07-17
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)---characterised by abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habit—may last 4 or more years following a bout of gastroenteritis in around half of those affected, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published online in the journal Gut.
Aggressive and pro-inflammatory bacteria, such as Proteobacteria and Enterobacteriaceae, and the virus responsible for COVID-19 infection, SARS-CoV-2, are possible culprits, the findings suggest.
IBS and recurrent indigestion of unknown cause (functional dyspepsia), are disorders of the gut-brain axis. ...
World-first international guidelines weeds-out potentially critical scientific fraud
2024-07-17
The number of retractions issued for scientific research articles in 2023 exceeded 10,000 — smashing annual records. To date, publishers have struggled to clean up a slew of papers with serious integrity concerns.
Now a world-first framework for assessing research integrity in clinical guidelines, has been published today in the prominent international medical journal, The Lancet’s eClinical Medicine.
Monash University researchers in Australia developed the Research Integrity in Guidelines and evIDence synthesis (RIGID) framework.
Clinical ...
Intensive farming could raise risk of new pandemics
2024-07-17
Intensive livestock farming could raise the risk of new pandemics, researchers have warned.
Industrialised farming is often thought to reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases (those transmitted from animals to humans) because of better control, biosecurity and separation of livestock.
The new study, led by the University of Exeter, examines the effect of social and economic factors – which are often overlooked in traditional assessments.
It finds that the effects of intensifying agriculture “are at best uncertain and at worst may contribute to EID (emerging infectious disease) risk”.
Lead author Professor Steve Hinchliffe, from the University ...
Multiple concussions in rugby players change proteins linked to neurodegenerative diseases
2024-07-17
Retired rugby players who have suffered multiple concussions have higher levels of certain proteins in their blood, which may make them more prone to developing diseases such as motor neurone disease (MND), according to a new study.
The research, led by Durham University, shows that it may be possible to measure specific key biomarkers. These biomarkers can indicate disease or predict possible future disease in the blood of athletes who have suffered multiple traumas to the head.
This is the first study to explore a range of specific ...