Segmentation analyses as an effective tool to improve tobacco prevention and cessation

BACKGROUND: Defining and understanding target groups is a key for successful tobacco prevention and cessation programs. While most campaigns and interventions only take basic demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the target groups into account, additional knowledge about behavioral or psychographic characteristics (e.g., motives) is needed. Therefore, we developed and tested profiles of adolescents and adults. METHODS: A systematic literature review revealed 219 articles with criteria that relate to (not) smoking. These criteria were consolidated in 8 expert interviews, 8 qualitative group discussions and 47 interviews with children and adolescents and in 53 interviews with actual and past adult smokers and included in a questionnaire that 2'732 adolescents and 2'899 adults (representative sample) filled in. RESULTS: Segmentation analyses revealed five adolescent and four adult profiles that show systematic pattern regarding demographics, socioeconomics, social resources/independence, hobbies, psychological well-being/stress, and smoking behavior /intention to quit. Segments were replicated with data from a national tobacco cessation program. Segment-specific messages were derived and experimentally tested. CONCLUSIONS: The successfully developed target group profiles are available as a tool for tobacco prevention experts to improve current and future tobacco prevention and cessation activities. KEY MESSAGES: • Defining and understanding target groups is a key for successful tobacco prevention and cessation programs. • The successfully developed target group profiles are available as a tool for tobacco prevention experts to improve current and future tobacco prevention and cessation activities.