Poster Presentation 2025 Joint Meeting of the COSA ASM and IPOS Congress

Challenging stigma through media: a content analysis of newpaper representation of tobacco smoking   (126428)

Shiho Rose 1 , Shinya Hirase 2 , Leonardo Grossi 3 , Amelia Grossi 3 , Zachery Weller 3 , Kathleen McFadden 1 , Nathan Harrison 4 5 6 , Christina Watts 1 , Shakira Onwuka 7 , Lorraine Tyler 8 , Megan Passey 1 , Christine Paul 9 10 , Marianne Weber 11
  1. The Daffodil Centre, The University of Sydney, a joint venture with the Cancer Council NSW, Sydney, Australia
  2. Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  3. The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  4. Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  5. NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence on Achieving the Tobacco Endgame, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia
  6. National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA), Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  7. Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  8. Consumer Advocate, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  9. School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
  10. Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, NSW, Australia
  11. Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia

Background: A National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) targeted at individuals with a history of heavy smoking will commence in July 2025. A potential participation barrier, however, is the stigma associated with smoking and lung cancer, which can be perpetuated by media discourse (intended or not). We conducted a media content analysis to explore how smoking has been portrayed in Australian media since the NLCSP was announced in May 2023.  

Methods: Printed news articles published in Australia between May 2023 to December 2024 using smoking-related terms were identified via the Factiva database. Inclusion criteria included: article length ≥100 words; and ≥50% of article relating to smoking. Content was mapped thematically to representational categories of smoking and people who smoke, use of stigmatising language, and stakeholder references to industry and/or health bodies.

Findings: More than 200 articles were included for analysis. Article topics commonly focused on: cigarettes as an illicit commodity for “tobacco wars”; vaping as an alternative to smoking; and tobacco policy. Preliminary results suggest that stigmatising language was common, including identity first language (e.g., using “smoker” instead of person who smokes), blame language (e.g., judgemental rather than empathic), and emotive language (e.g., to create moral panic). Findings from the completed analysis will be presented at the conference.      

Discussion: Preliminary findings indicate that smoking is portrayed akin to illegal substances, and that stigmatising language is prevalent, which may deter people from lung cancer screening. Understanding how smoking is portrayed in news media and to what extent media coverage might contribute to stigma will be important to address, as participation in the NLCSP will be important to improve patient outcomes in lung cancer. Results can be used to inform a media language guide to support respectful and inclusive communication in the implementation of the NLCSP.