Improving knowledge and attitudes about prevention and cessation of smoking using comics: study on youth with smoker’s social environment

INTRODUCTION: it is needed the innovative interventions to promote smoking cessation behavior. This research analyzed the influence of comic as the communication media to the knowledge and attitude of the respondent in the various determinant of smoking behavior. METHODS: this research measured the knowledge and attitude of the respondent after they have been given comic as the educational media. It also explored the information about smoking status and social context of the smokers, such as smoker parents, friends, and teachers. The population was the students. The sample size was 1000 students of junior high school. The research aimed to find out the difference of knowledge and attitude based on the smoking status, social context, and training experience. RESULTS: the mean score of knowledge between the respondents who had trained was higher than respondents who had no trained was significantly different (p<0.05). There was also significantly different of the mean score of knowledge and attitude (p<0.05) between the respondents whose family were smoker and non-smoker. The mean score of knowledge and attitude between the smoker and non-smoker respondents was also significantly different (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: the comic is more effective as an educational media for non-smoker adolescents, adolescents who have not smoker family, and health educated adolescent.