Evaluation of Visual Perception in Smoking Cessation Websites and Construction of Antismoking Website

Tobacco use is the most readily preventable cause of premature death; it is a worldwide problem, with a significant impact on heath and well-being. In order to design an effective tobacco education program, it is important to understand smoking patterns and the underlying factors associated with smoking in different generations such as adults or young people. Despite a general decline in the prevalence of regular smoking among adults, recent surveys commissioned by the Ministry Heath & Welfare for the Republic of Korea have shown no evidence of any decline in smoking rates among young women and adolescents. The Republic of Korea has the highest adult male smoking percentage (65.1%) in the world and smoking in adolescents is still an increasing trend. Smoking in adolescents and young women is especially more dangerous, thus health education of anti-smoking directed at these groups is an important area that will benefit from using internet content that they can easily access. The purpose of this study is the evaluation of visual perception and effectiveness analysis in smoking cessation websites in promoting smoking cessation in adolescents and young women through Internet content. As a result of this project, at first we evaluated the Internet content of cyber smoking cessation programs by the evaluation criteria of web design interface. The Internet site of http://nosmokeguide.or.kr received the most superior evaluation in the domestic Internet content for smoking cessation and the Internet site of the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids received the most superior evaluation in the foreign Internet content for smoking cessation. This evaluation was surveyed by an expert in Internet content and user. Secondly, we developed the Internet content for cyber smoking cessation program, namely, "Dr. Smoking" that contained several menus and a database regarding anti-smoking designed in accordance with the results of this evaluation. The domain address of Dr. Smoking is http://www.dmosmoking.com and our webpage has assorted kinds of news, information, self-diagnosis, prescription, consulting, a no-smoking mall etc. In conclusion, this project is designed to develop Internet content for the most effective smoking cessation program and to contribute to eliminating smoking from our society. We also will try to develop and upgrade this web-site in order to help a smoker who want to quit smoking and diminish the physical and socioeconomic harm from smoking.