Comparing Belief in Short-term Versus Long-term Consequences of Smoking and Vaping as Predictors of
Thursday, November 18, 2021
Posted by: Bailey Varey
Jesch E, Kikut AI, Hornik R.
Comparing Belief in Short-term Versus Long-term Consequences of Smoking and Vaping as Predictors of Non-use in a 3-year Nationally Representative Survey Study of US Youth.
Tobacco Control Published Online First: 01 November 2021. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2021-056886
Introduction. Efforts to prevent youth tobacco use are critical to reducing smoking-related deaths in the USA. Anti-tobacco messaging often focuses on the severe long-term consequences of smoking (eg, fatal lung disease, cancer). It is unclear whether these long-term consequences are more likely to deter youth use than shorter term consequences (eg, headaches, friend disapproval).
Methods. A nationally representative 3-year rolling survey of adolescents and young adults (ages 13–26 years) measured belief in potential consequences of two types of tobacco products: combustible cigarettes (n=11 847) and electronic cigarettes (n=4470) as well as intentions and current use. Independent coders classified 23 consequences as either short or long term. Logistic regression tested the associations between short-term (vs long-term) beliefs and current intentions, as well as non-smoking behaviour at 6-month follow-up.
Results. Believing in both short-term and long-term consequences was associated with outcomes, but short-term beliefs were more highly associated with anti-smoking (OR=1.40, 95% CI (1.30 to 1.51)) and anti-vaping (OR=2.10, 95% CI (1.75 to 2.52)) intentions and better predicted non-smoking behaviour at follow-up, controlling for prior use (OR=1.75, 95% CI (1.33 to 2.31)).
Conclusions. These results support temporal discounting by adolescents and young adults and suggest health communication efforts aiming to reduce youth tobacco use should emphasise shorter term consequences.
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