What's in the message? An analysis of themes and features used in vaping prevention messages. (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kresovich, Alex; Sanzo, Nora; Brothers, Whitney; Prentice-Dunn, Hannah; Boynton, Marcella H.; Sutfin, Erin L.; Sheeran, Paschal; Noar, Seth M.
• Is Part Of: Addictive behaviors reports. Volume 15(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: Electronic cigarettes -- Vaping -- Youth -- Adolescents -- Prevention; Compulsive behavior -- Periodicals; 616.8584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2021.100404
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-8532

Abstract

Highlights: As youth vaping grows, vaping prevention campaigns are emerging rapidly. Our study systematically examines prevention messages used by public health groups. Nicotine addiction and chemicals were the most common message themes. Most messages included imagery, yet just over half had a message source. Results can guide message testing and highlight messaging gaps. Abstract: Introduction: Federal, state, local, and non-government officials have developed and implemented a variety of vaping prevention messages to curtail the vaping epidemic among youth in the US. This study sought to collect a comprehensive set of vaping prevention messages and characterize the themes and features of those messages. Methods: We used a two-fold search strategy to identify messages, utilizing the existing content database from Vaping Prevention Resource (vapingprevention.org ) and supplementing those messages with web searches. Potential messages were included if they were vaping prevention-oriented, appropriate or relevant for youth, and in a static web or print format. Results: A total of 220 messages met criteria. Messages were coded on the presence or absence of 37 objective features within five categories: message themes, imagery, text features, message perspective, and other (e.g., source). The most common themes were nicotine addiction (32%), chemicals (30%), health effects (24%), and industry targeting (19%). Eighty-five percent of messages included imagery, with 27% showing a vaping device, 22% showing smoke or vapor, and 21% showing a person's face. Just over half (56%) included a message source. Conclusions: Vaping prevention messages for youth have commonly focused on addiction and health risks of vaping, and they vary on a series of text and image features. Further research is needed to understand the efficacy of messaging approaches in preventing vaping among youth.