Perceived Effectiveness of Objective Elements of Vaping Prevention Messages among Adolescents.
Tuesday, May 24, 2022
Posted by: Natalia Gromov
Boynton MH, Sanzo N, Brothers W,
et al.
Perceived Effectiveness of
Objective Elements of Vaping Prevention Messages among Adolescents.
Tobacco Control Published Online First: 09 May
2022. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2021-057151
Introduction. In
recent years, vaping prevention campaigns have proliferated in response to a
surge of e-cigarette use among adolescents in the USA. To date, the research
literature has provided minimal guidance as to what vaping prevention message
elements have the greatest potential for discouraging vaping, are ineffective
or have unintended negative effects. The purpose of the current study was to
identify and test a large set of vaping prevention ads used by federal, state,
local and non-governmental agencies, examining how objectively coded message
elements of vaping prevention messages might affect youth.
Methods. A
convenience sample of adolescents (N=1501) completed an online survey with each
participant rating seven randomly selected vaping prevention ads from a pool of
220 ads on perceived message effectiveness (PME) and vaping appeal. Ads were
coded on 37 objective elements in three message categories: themes, imagery and
other features. Analyses examined how objective elements predicted PME.
Results. Addiction,
chemicals, negative health symptoms and effects, and cigarette comparison
themes were associated with higher PME, as were graphic images and warning
symbols. Industry targeting, environmental impact, flavour themes, images of
food and people’s faces were associated with lower PME, as were hashtags,
statistics and first-person language or the word ‘teen’. Most elements were not
associated with appeal, but ads with a flavour theme were associated with
increased vaping appeal.
Conclusion. Promising
vaping prevention messages focus on the adverse consequences of vaping, use
negative imagery and avoid speaking for teens using their vernacular or
perspective.
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