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Introduction: Many people who smoke cigarettes report believing that nicotine causes cancer, a misperception that may reduce interest in switching to noncombustible nicotine products. Quantitative survey questions do not capture how this population thinks about nicotine and switching to noncombustible products. Methods: This study used an online convenience sample of 193 US adults who smoke cigarettes and reported that nicotine causes cancer. Respondents were asked if they thought nicotine was harmful (and why or why not) and if they would consider switching to a noncombustible product (and why or why not). Inductive and deductive coding were used, and descriptive statistics are reported. Results: Descriptions of nicotine directly causing disease (61%) were more common than descriptions of nicotine causing addiction to a harmful product (8%). One-third expressly stated that nicotine causes cancer, and 21% that nicotine causes lung disease. Interest in switching was moderate (mean 47.4 out of 100). When asked about switching, 34% described enjoying their current smoking experience, 23% described a perceived health benefit, 16% described a health concern, and 11% worried that switching would not address nicotine addiction. Discussion: Adults who smoke commonly perceived nicotine as a direct cause of cigarette-related disease, and harm and addictiveness perceptions were often mentioned as reasons for interest or disinterest in switching to a noncombustible. Future studies could explore strategies for correcting nicotine misperception, stigma related to addiction, and common concerns related to health as well as user experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The tobacco industry has historically used brand engagement – communication tactics companies use to increase customer attachment to a brand and brand loyalty – to recruit and retain consumers. Limited information is available to assess the brand engagement tactics used to promote the two most popular tobacco products in the US – cigarettes and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) – across different advertising platforms (e.g., direct-to-consumer (DTC), social media). Material and methods: We acquired 520 cigarette and 5,502 e–cigarette ads that ran in the US January 2019 to December 2020 from market research firms (Kantar, Numerator), Rutger's University ad surveillance website (trinketsandtrash.org), and branded social media accounts. Ads were double-coded for eight types of brand engagement tactics: Price Promotion, Sweepstakes, Mobile App, Email/Mail List, Free Gift, Social Media engagement request, Sponsored Events, and Auto-Ship subscription program. We report presence of brand engagement tactics by product type and advertising platform. Results: Overall, 62.9% of cigarette ads and 49.9% of e-cigarette ads contained at least one brand engagement tactic. For cigarette ads, the most common tactics were Sweepstakes and Mobile App requests, which were most commonly featured in DTC ads. For e-cigarettes, the most common tactic was Price Promotion which was featured in most DTC and online e-cigarette ads. Conclusions: Brand engagement was common in this sample of cigarette and e-cigarette ads. Our findings highlight key differences in the type of brand engagement tactic used to promote each product on different advertising platforms. Results can inform continued advertising surveillance studies and regulatory efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Exposure to certain features in commercial e-cigarette ads may influence e-cigarette use perceptions. This study explored the reactions toward common features in e-cigarette ads among young adults of various tobacco-use behaviors. Aims and Methods We used data from in-depth interviews with U.S. young adults (ages 18–29) who do not use tobacco (n = 26) and who currently smoke cigarettes (n = 26). Participants viewed 30 print e-cigarette ads that included multiple features (eg, fruit flavors, price promotions, smoker-targeted messages) before discussing their perceived influence of memorable ad features. We used reflective thematic analysis to analyze interview data. Results Participants from both groups generally noticed fruit and multiple flavors displayed in the ads, which were seen as appealing and were reported to generate product-use interest because of bright colors, sensory appeal, and a variety of flavor options. Participants who smoke perceived price promotions and positive experience testimonials to be appealing, and some reported this generated use interest. Participants from both groups perceived smoker-targeted messages to be unconvincing, and reported this dampened ad and product appeal and use interest. Participants who do not use tobacco perceived nicotine warnings to be unappealing, resulting in reduced perceived appeal of other attractive features (eg, fruit flavors) appearing in the same ads. Conclusions Marketing features appearing in e-cigarette ads may be perceived by young adults of various tobacco-use behaviors in both similar and different ways. Communication and policy strategies that account for these differential perceptions towards various marketing features are needed to reduce the negative impact of e-cigarette marketing. Implications This study revealed evidence related to young adults' reactions to and perceived influence of commonly used marketing features (eg, fruit flavors, nicotine warnings, price promotions, smoker-targeted messages) in commercial e-cigarette ads. The results highlight the similar and differential perceived appeal and use interest of e-cigarette products promoted with various marketing features among young adults of different tobacco-use behaviors. The results have implications for informing the design of communication strategies and policies related to e-cigarette marketing aimed at promoting complete product switching among young adults who smoke while simultaneously deterring e-cigarette use interest among those who do not use tobacco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Oral nicotine pouches (ONPs) contain a crystalized nicotine powder instead of tobacco leaves. ONPs come in a variety of flavors and are often marketed as "tobacco-free," but research on ONP use-motivations and related experiences is limited. Aims and Methods This cross-sectional web-based survey collected self-report data on ONP use-characteristics (eg, frequency), brands and flavors used, use-motivations, dependence (Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence-Smokeless Tobacco [FTND-ST]), and ONP-related adverse events (AEs) experienced. Results The sample included 118 adults who reported current (past 30-day) ONP use. On average (SD), participants reported ONP use on 13 (6) days during the past month. Most participants (% of the sample) also reported the use of tobacco cigarettes (74%) and/or electronic cigarettes (53%) during the past month. Zyn (27%) and Lucy (19%) were the most currently used ONP brands with mint (23%) and tobacco (16%) as the most currently used flavors. The availability of preferred flavors was the most frequently reported (31%) ONP use-motivation. The sample demonstrated significant dependence levels (FTND-ST = 7, SD = 2). Reported AEs included mouth lesions (48%), upset stomach (39%), sore mouth (37%), sore throat (21%), and nausea (9%). Results should be interpreted in the context of study limitations, including using a relatively small and homogeneous online convenience sample. Acknowledging the limitations, this sample was deemed appropriate to include considering the novelty of the findings, the dearth of related research, and the necessity of examining foundational ONP use-characteristics (eg, topography, AEs); however, future research should consider recruiting larger and more generalizable samples. Conclusions The availability of preferred flavors was a key ONP use-motivation in this sample. Mint and tobacco were the most currently used flavors, with Zyn and Lucy being the most currently used ONP brands. Participants reported dependence and a substantial number of ONP-related AEs. Nationally representative surveys should investigate ONP use along with outcomes included in the current study (eg, AEs) to inform ONP surveillance and policy development efforts. Implications This study is among the first to assess reasons for initiating/maintaining ONP use as well as other relevant use-experiences (eg, AEs, dependence). These results highlight the role of flavors and nicotine dependence in ONP use, which are important considerations for informing ONP regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tobacco retailers are a key target audience for tobacco product advertising, yet little is known about the messages and channels used to market electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) to retailers. Methods: We assessed expenditures for business‐to‐business print advertising for ENDS in the United States, by year and by advertiser, from 2015 to 2020; and the content of advertisements placed in 2020. Results: The total number of ENDS brands placing business‐to‐business advertisements declined from 45 in 2015 to 6 in 2020; spending declined from $2.6 million in 2015 (for 283 occurrences) to $492,789 in 2020 (69 occurrences). Across years, the top‐spending advertisers were Logic ($1.9 million), blu ($1.0 million), JUUL ($625,050), NJOY ($373,126) and Vuse ($322,075). Common messages of advertisements placed in 2020 included that products are not intended for minors; brand market share; health warnings; profitability or revenue potential for retailers; and flavours. Discussion: This study suggests that ENDS companies anticipate that ENDS retailers are interested in stocking products that maximise profits, appeal to consumers and comply with regulatory requirements. Declines in the number of advertisers mirror the overall consolidation of the ENDS industry that occurred during the study period. Conclusions: Business‐to‐business print advertising represents an important channel in which ENDS brands communicate a variety of messages about their products directly to potential retailers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to tobacco marketing is positively associated with smoking initiation and behaviours. There is limited literature examining disparities among reported exposure in low- and middle-income countries. This study sought to fill this gap with a survey among 1427 adolescents and 889 adult smokers in Mexico City in 2020. Data were analysed using chi-square and hierarchical regression models. Two-thirds of adolescents noticed cigarette pack displays in stores. Participants from low- and mid-socioeconomic status (SES) neighbourhoods were more exposed to tobacco marketing than their counterparts through several channels. After addressing the shared variance among participants from the same household nested in neighbourhood SES level and controlling for gender, adolescent non-smokers and adult smokers who noticed pack displays were more likely to be susceptible to smoking (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.4–2.4) and to smoke more (OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.21–2.47); adult smokers who noticed tobacco marketing at more places were less likely to be certain about smoking risks (OR = 0.9, 95% CI 0.8–0.9). The results suggest that the tobacco industry targets youth and individuals from low-SES neighbourhoods through several channels. Greater exposure to tobacco marketing was associated with increased susceptibility to smoking and decreased risk perception. These findings support a comprehensive ban on tobacco marketing in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION TikTok, the video-sharing app popular among youth, is a source of user-generated content about nicotine addiction with the potential to endorse or deter nicotine use among young viewers. We systematically analyzed content and themes of TikTok posts tagged #nicotineaddiction. METHODS We conducted a quantitative content analysis of the visual and textual content of the 149 top-viewed English-language TikTok posts tagged #nicotineaddiction as of 1 March 2021. Posts were double-coded using a shared codebook, noting content creator characteristics, nicotine products featured, references to quitting, and overall themes of #nicotineaddiction expressed. We assessed the prevalence of post characteristics and themes overall and by apparent age of content creators (aged ≥21 years versus <21 years). RESULTS The 149 posts analyzed received a mean and median of 62433 and 15800 likes, respectively. E-cigarettes were referenced or featured in 75% of posts; 58% featured a specific nicotine product brand, most commonly Puff Bar (23% of total) and JUUL (19%). Overall, 22% of posts mentioned quitting nicotine. The top themes of #nicotineaddiction expressed were physical or psychological consequences (e.g. withdrawal symptoms, 46%), physical or psychological benefits (e.g. tasting good, feeling 'buzzed', 28%), and social benefits (e.g. bonding with fellow users, 28%). Compared to those aged ≥21 years, posts by content creators likely <21 years (26%) less commonly mentioned quitting (p<0.01), had fewer followers (p<0.01), were more commonly from Canada (p<0.01) and less commonly from the US (p<0.01), and more commonly featured JUUL (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS While reaching a large and engaged audience, TikTok content creators suggest a range of benefits and consequences of nicotine addiction. Future research is warranted to examine this content's potential to influence young people's intentions to use or quit nicotine products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latinos/as – the largest minority group in the U.S. – are avid Facebook users, making this an opportune tool to educate on the uptake of cancer prevention and screening behaviors. However, there is a dearth in scholarship exploring how Latinos/as engage with and act upon health content encountered on social media, which may be influenced by cultural values. This qualitatively-driven, mixed-methods study explores how Latinos/as engage with and act upon cancer prevention and screening information (CPSI) on Facebook. During one-on-one, in-depth interviews, participants (n = 20) logged onto their Facebook account alongside the researcher and discussed cancer-related posts they engaged with during the past 12 months. Interview questions included the reasons for engagement, and whether engagement triggered further action. Interviews were analyzed thematically. In parallel, a content analysis of the CPSI posts identified during the interviews was conducted. The majority of CPSI posts participants engaged with contained food-related content and visual imagery. Engagement was most common when individuals had personal relationships to the poster, when posts included videos/images, and when posts contained content promoting the curative properties of popular Latin American foods. Engagement often led to information-seeking and sharing, discussing content with others, and/or changing health behaviors. Findings highlight the importance of adequately contextualizing how cultural values influence the ways in which Latinos/as engage with and act upon CPSI on Facebook, which may lead individuals to bypass evidence-based procedures. Multi-pronged efforts are necessary to adequately leverage social media to empower Latinos/as to partake in behaviors that effectively reduce cancer health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an important and highly effective HIV prevention strategy, but its uptake remains low, particularly among marginalized populations at high risk of HIV. Innovative and community-driven promotion strategies, such as open contests, are needed to address disparities. This directed content analysis uses a PrEP-specific adaptation of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model to identify themes related to PrEP use reflected in community-generated submissions (n = 73) from an open contest conducted to elicit crowdsourced health promotion messages on PrEP in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to identifying eight of the themes from the adapted IMB model, this analysis also identified two novel salient themes in the motivation category: self-worth/self-love and self-care practice. Findings from this analysis can inform PrEP promotion efforts by pointing to salient themes identified from a community-driven approach that are less well represented in existing research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although cigarette use in the United States has declined over time, smokeless tobacco (SLT) use has remained steady. Direct-mail advertising and coupon redemption have been linked to increased tobacco use, and efforts to promote SLT through direct-mail advertising may contribute to sustained SLT use. We examined reach of SLT direct-mail advertisements by recipient demographics and promotional features, including coupons.Methods: Direct-mail data (n = 418) were acquired from Comperemedia (Mintel) and coded for product type (traditional [eg, chewing tobacco], pouched [eg, moist snuff, snus], or both [traditional SLT and any pouched SLT products]); promotions (eg, coupons); flavors; and themes (eg, masculinity). Using Mintel's volume estimates for number of pieces sent, we calculated the proportion of mail volume sent by recipient demographics (age, income, region) and advertising features across product type.Results: Between July 2017 and August 2018, tobacco companies sent an estimated 249 million pieces of SLT direct-mail to US households; approximately half (49.6%) featured pouched SLT products. Across product types, over 75% of mail volume was sent to 31- to 60-year-old adults and 30-40% was sent to low-income households. The majority (>70%) of pouched SLT product mail contained coupons and flavor promotions. Outdoor and blue-collar-lifestyle themes were prominent in advertisements for all product types, along with less common adventure- and fun-related appeals.Conclusions: Coupons, flavors, and a combination of blue-collar and fun/adventure message themes were used to promote traditional and pouched SLT products through direct-mail, particularly to low-income households. Results support limits on direct-mail coupon distribution and continued surveillance of marketing appeals.Implications: There is a long history of research into tobacco advertising practices, largely focusing on cigarettes. This study highlights specific direct-mail marketing tactics used by the tobacco industry, including coupons to promote SLT products across the United States. Given the limited success in reducing SLT use and the association between direct-mail promotions and tobacco use, these study results provide support for policies to restrict use of coupons in direct-to-consumer tobacco marketing and indicate the need for continued surveillance of direct-mail advertisements as the SLT market continues to evolve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis legalization threatens to undermine clean indoor air norms. We investigated the prevalence and nature of tobacco and cannabis use rules in Airbnb venues in Denver, Colorado, where recreational cannabis was legalized in 2014. The study used publicly available Inside Airbnb data for all Denver listings (N = 4,511) collected on 06/29/2019. We analyzed reported tobacco smoking and cannabis use house rules. Tobacco smoking with or without conditions was allowed in 9.7% of venues. Of all venues, 23.7% included details about cannabis use. Of these, 75.9% allowed cannabis use without or with conditions. Of the venues that allowed cannabis use, 30.5% also allowed tobacco smoking. Of the venues that did not allow cannabis use, 0.4% allowed tobacco smoking. Additional multilevel regression models revealed that venues in higher income neighborhoods were less likely to allow cannabis and tobacco use. A substantial number of Airbnb listings in Denver, Colorado permit cannabis use and venues permitting cannabis use may be more likely to also permit tobacco smoking. Findings support the idea that cannabis legalization threatens clean indoor air norms. Airbnb should consider including cannabis use in house rules in jurisdictions that have legalized cannabis to help guests identify spaces with clean air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Philip Morris International (PMI) launched a global rebranding strategy to expand the reach of Marlboro. Using a mixed-methods design, this study evaluated the appeal and influence of Marlboro advertising among Filipino youth. Six hundred and twenty-three adolescents aged 13-17 years old in Metro Manila participated in a survey, including three advertising conditions: two for Marlboro and one for Mighty, a local cigarette brand. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired t-tests evaluated differences between the three conditions on participants' attitudes toward advertisements [measured as identification, likeability, and perceived effectiveness (PE)]. Compared to Mighty, never-smokers rated Marlboro advertisements as more identifiable and likeable. Comparing by smoking status (never vs. ever), multivariable logistic regression assessed the influence of these attitudes on intention to smoke. Increased likeability was associated with greater intention to smoke among never-smokers, and greater PE increased odds of intention to smoke for both never- and ever-smokers. Additionally, six focus group discussions (FGD) explored responses to campaign messaging. Themes were compared within and across groups. Marlboro was also appealing to FGD participants, who described the ads as attractive to youth and promoting "adventure" and "freedom", whereas the Mighty brand was seen as being for adults and current smokers. Our findings illustrate that Marlboro advertisements are distinctly appealing to youth. Marlboro rhetoric - where consumers are urged to "decide" to "Be Marlboro" - was particularly powerful. These findings support the need for addressing gaps in policies regulating the marketing and promotion of tobacco in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Tobacco use is a major public health problem in the Philippines. Menthol flavored and flavor capsule cigarettes are independently associated with increased smoking initiation and appeal to youth and young adults. Packaging is an important tobacco marketing tool. We describe cigarette packs sold in the Philippines market and describe products' flavor and capsule inclusion. METHODS Tobacco packs were systematically collected in the Philippines in 2016 and categorized as non-flavored non-capsule, menthol non-capsule, menthol capsule, and non-menthol capsule. Structural elements (e.g. pack type, shape) and graphic components (e.g. imagery, descriptors, color) of the packs were compared. RESULTS Menthol capsule packs were significantly more likely to be hard packs than menthol non-capsule. Menthol packs were more likely to be colored green than non-flavored packs. Non-menthol capsule packs were more likely to display the term 'fresh' than non-capsule packs. Capsule packs were more likely to display technological appeals than non-capsule packs. CONCLUSIONS Menthol and flavor capsule cigarettes are packaged differently (most notably, in terms of color and technological appeals) than non-menthol and non- capsule packs. Packaging and labeling policy should take this into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the importance of urban ethnic neighborhoods as the context of everyday life, where normative influences on health are formed, modified, and maintained. Built on communication infrastructure theory, this study investigates the role of women's connections to their neighborhood storytelling network—consisting of residents, local/ethnic media, and community organizations—in shaping their descriptive normative perceptions regarding cervical cancer screening. Specifically, we explore the communication mechanisms that underlie Latinas' exposure and attention to media information about Pap tests, their discussions with health-care professionals about Pap tests, their perceptions about how normative Pap tests are among "women like them", and their compliance with cervical cancer screening guidelines. Our findings suggest that neighborhood storytelling resources hold promise for health communication research to understand not only the uptake of Pap tests but also health disparities in other domains that affect diverse populations and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This project links research on digital inequality, which focuses on connection quality and its outcomes for under-connected individuals, and parental mediation, which focuses on the influence of parents on children's technology experiences. We examine the internet connection type used by families, the technology experiences of lower-income parents, and their perceptions of opportunities that technology use offers their children. We then determine how these factors influence the frequency and scope of their school-age children's technology use. Findings show that contextualizing children's connectivity to account for infrastructural, socio-demographic, and relational influences provides new insights into the technology experiences of lower-income children. One set of findings suggests that direct benefit from increased connectivity is most evident for lower-income parents - those with the lowest household incomes, lowest levels of education, and whose dominant language is not English. These effects remain after controlling for other socio-demographic factors. The second set of results shows that greater connectivity increases how frequently both children and parents use the internet, but is associated only with a greater scope of internet activities for parents. Parents' online activity scope is important for their children's online experiences, directly predicting the scope of their online activities. High-scope parents were also significantly more likely to see digital opportunities in their children's internet use, which in turn also predicted more frequent and broader internet use by their children. We conclude by considering the practical implications of these findings for digital equity initiatives targeting lower-income families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Economic disparities in rates of smoking have been well documented in many countries. These disparities exist on an individual and geographic or neighborhood level. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between neighborhood physical and social disorder and barriers to smoking cessation among an impoverished urban sample.Methods: A sample of current smokers were recruited through street outreach, posted advertisements, and word of mouth from impoverished neighborhoods in Baltimore, Maryland, USA for a study of psychosocial factors and smoking behaviors. Neighborhood disorder was assessed with a 10-item scale from the Block Environmental Inventory and barriers to cessation with a 9-item scale.Results: In the multiple logistic regression model, perceived stress (aOR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.32 to 1.95), neighborhood disorder (aOR= 1.34, 95% CI = 1.11 to 1.63), and level of nicotine dependence (aOR = 1.97), 95% CI = 1.62 to 2.40) were all strongly associated with barriers to cessation.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that neighborhood disorder may lead to barriers to cessation among low-income populations. The findings also indicate that tobacco control interventions should examine and address social and physical aspects of impoverished neighborhoods.Implications: In many countries, tobacco control programs and policies have been less effective among low-income populations as compared to more affluent populations. Little is known about how neighborhood factors influence smoking cessation. This study examined the relationship between neighborhood disorder and barriers to cessation among a low-income population. We recruited a convenience sample of hard-to-reach cigarette smokers from low-income neighborhoods. Even after controlling for level of nicotine dependence and stress, neighborhood disorder was found to be associated with barriers to cessation. The findings suggest the important role of neighborhood disorder as a barrier to smoking cessation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital equity initiatives traditionally enable access to devices and Internet service, but increasingly, designers are also recognizing the importance of access to people and programs that support digital skills development. Families in under-served communities are most likely to need such supports but least likely to have them available. We explore the extent to which parents and children might serve as these sources of support for each other in low- and lower-middle-income families, who have seldom been the focus of research on children, families, and technology. We examine how sociodemographic factors and parents' own technology use relate to patterns in how parents and children guide each other's technology experiences. We then explore how siblings' collaborative experiences are influenced by the extent to which inter-generational technology practices are either parent- or child-driven. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for strengthening digital equity initiatives targeting school-age children and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored how structural and cultural forces work together with psychological and communication factors in influencing Pap test compliance among Latinas in Los Angeles County, a group who face health disparities related to cervical cancer screening, incidence and mortality. By adopting a multilevel approach to obtain a grounded understanding of this issue, this work revealed that structural barriers, fatalism, religious service attendance, perceived susceptibility, perceived costs, and cues to action from health care providers are all associated with Pap test compliance. Financial barriers also influence compliance, with underinsurance having a stronger negative impact compared to no insurance at all. These findings provide insights into how communication efforts can be strategically designed to address both individual- and system-level barriers to promote health-seeking behaviors among Latinas, and potentially among other population groups experiencing health disparities due to similar reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of American Journal of Public Health is the property of American Public Health Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: This study examined the impact of warning labels conveying the potential harms and addictiveness of Swedish snus and the potential-reduced harms of Swedish snus among young adult nonsmokers and smokers.Methods: A convenience sample of young adults aged 18-30 residing in the United States (n = 517, 56% male, 33% smokers) participated in an online experiment. Participants completed baseline measures and were randomized to 1 of 5 experimental conditions where they viewed a Swedish snus ad with warning labels that varied by condition: (1) Control-no warning; (2) Addiction-warning conveying the addictiveness of snus; (3) Harm-warning communicating the potential harms of snus; (4) Harm Reduction-warning conveying the potential-reduced harms of snus compared with cigarettes; (5) Harm Reduction Switch-warning communicating the potential-reduced harms of snus when switching completely from cigarettes to snus. Outcomes measured included perceived harms and addictiveness of snus, thoughts about not using snus, and intentions to use snus.Results: Participants in the Harm Reduction and Harm Reduction Switch conditions perceived snus to be less harmful than cigarettes compared with the Control, Addiction, and Harm conditions. Nonsmokers in the Harm Reduction condition reported fewer thoughts about not using snus than nonsmokers in the Harm condition.Conclusions: Warnings conveying the potential-reduced harms of Swedish snus compared with cigarettes generate perceptions that snus is less harmful than cigarettes and produce fewer thoughts about not using snus among nonsmokers. Such perceptions have been associated with snus use in prior studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We compared the relative efficacy of a fictional narrative film to a more traditional nonnarrative film in conveying the same health information. Methods. We used a random digit dial procedure to survey the cervical cancer-related knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of non-Hispanic White, Mexican American, and African American women, aged 25 to 45 years, living in Los Angeles, California, from 2011 to 2012. Participants (n = 704) were randomly assigned to view either a narrative or nonnarrative film containing the same information about how cervical cancer could be prevented or detected, and they were re-contacted 2 weeks and 6 months later. Results. At 2 weeks, both films produced a significant increase in cervical cancer-related knowledge and attitudes, but these effects were significantly higher for the narrative film. At 6 months, viewers of both films retained greater than baseline knowledge and more positive attitudes toward Papanicolaou (Pap) tests, but women who saw the narrative were significantly more likely to have had or scheduled a Pap test. The narrative was particularly effective for Mexican American women, eliminating cervical cancer screening disparities found at baseline. Conclusions. Narratives might prove to be a useful tool for reducing health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly, health communication practitioners are exploring the use of narrative storytelling to convey health information. For this study, a narrative film was produced to provide information about the human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer prevention. The storyline centered on Lupita, a young woman recently diagnosed with HPV who informs her family about HPV and the availability of the HPV vaccine for her younger sister. The objective was to examine the roles of identification with characters and narrative involvement (made up of three dimensions: involvement, perceived relevance, and immersion) on perceived response efficacy, perceived severity, and perceived susceptibility to HPV and behavior (discussing the HPV vaccine with a health care provider). A random sample of 450 European American, Mexican American, and African American women between the ages of 25 and 45 years, living in the Los Angeles area, was surveyed by phone before, 2 weeks after, and 6 months after viewing the film. The more relevant women found the narrative to their own lives at 2 weeks, the higher they perceived the severity of the virus and the perceived response efficacy of the vaccine to be. Also at 2 weeks, identifying with characters was positively associated with perceived susceptibility to HPV but negatively associated with perceived severity. At 6 months, identification with specific characters was significantly associated with perceived threat and behavior. These findings suggest that different aspects of narrative health messages should be manipulated depending on the specific beliefs and behaviors being targeted. Implications for narrative message design are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer is the third most common type of cancer in women globally. Latinas carry a disproportionate burden of this disease. In the United States, when compared with non-Hispanic Whites, Latinas endure much higher incidence rates (13.86 vs. 7.70 per 100 000) with mortality rates 1.5 times greater than for non-Hispanic White women. In order to address this disparity, a multidisciplinary team engaged in a study to test the effectiveness of a narrative, developed in culturally specific ways as a behavioral change communication tool. This case study presents lessons learned from Tamale Lesson, a narrative health communication intervention aimed at Mexican-American women that promotes cervical cancer screening (via Pap test) and prevention (via use of the Human Papillomavirus vaccine). Mexican American women who viewed Tamale Lesson showed a significant increase in cervical cancer screening, reducing a disparities in cancer screening found at baseline. This case study highlights the benefits of creating a culturally grounded narrative intervention, and underscores the powerful potential of narrative/storytelling in eliminating health disparities in the United States and around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The most popular recreational pastime in the U.S. is television viewing. Some researchershave claimed that television may be addictive. We provide a review of the definition, etiology, prevention and treatmentof the apparent phenomenon of television addiction. Methods: Selective review. Results: We provide a descriptionof television (TV) addiction, including its negative consequences, assessment and potential etiology, consideringneurobiological, cognitive and social/cultural factors. Next, we provide information on its prevention and treatment.Discussion and conclusions: We suggest that television addiction may function similarly to substance abusedisorders but a great deal more research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Communication is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article on adolescent peer crowds by J. R. Cross and K. L. Fletcher in the Volume 38, Issue 6 issue of the "Journal of Youth and Adolescence."