Search

To inform policy and messaging, this study examined characteristics of adolescents' and young adults' (AYAs') exposure to and engagement with nicotine and tobacco product (NTP) social media (SM) content. In this cross-sectional survey study, AYAs aged 13-26 ( N =1,163) reported current NTP use, SM use frequency, and exposure to and engagement with SM content promoting and opposing NTP use (i.e. frequency, source[s], format[s], platform[s]). Participants who used NTPs (vs. did not use) were more likely to report having seen NTP content (p-values<.001). Prevalent sources were companies/brands (46.6%) and influencers (44.4%); prevalent formats were video (65.4%) and image (50.7%). Exposure to content promoting NTP use was prevalent on several popular platforms (e.g. TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat); exposure to content opposing NTP use was most prevalent on YouTube (75.8%). Among those reporting content engagement (i.e. liking, commenting on, or sharing NTP content; 34.6%), 57.2% engaged with influencer content. Participants reported engaging with content promoting and opposing NTP use on popular platforms (e.g. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube). Participants with (versus without) current NTP use were significantly more likely to use most SM platforms and to report NTP content exposure and engagement (p-values<.05). Results suggest that NTP education messaging and enforcement of platforms' content restrictions are needed.

Limited health literacy is increasingly recognized as a public health problem. Growing recognition of the problem--and the need for solutions--creates an imperative for the field of health literacy research to identify effective interventions. The National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy (U.S. DHHS, 2010) recommends increased basic research in health literacy. This paper elaborates on this call by explicating what is meant by basic research and describing several of the ways in which basic research will benefit the field of health literacy research and, particularly, progress toward designing successful interventions.

News media coverage of health topics can frame and heighten the salience of health-related issues, thus influencing the public's beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Through their routine coverage of scientific developments, news media are a critical intermediary in translating research for the public, patients, practitioners, and policymakers. Until now, little was known about how health and medical science reporters and editors initiate, prioritize, and develop news stories related to health and medicine. We surveyed 468 reporters and editors representing 463 local and national broadcast and print media outlets to characterize individual characteristics and occupational practices leading to the development of health and medical science news. Our survey revealed that 70% of respondents had bachelor's degrees; 8% were life sciences majors in college. Minorities are underrepresented in health journalism; 97% of respondents were non-Hispanic and 93% were White. Overall, initial ideas for stories come from a "news source" followed by press conferences or press releases. Regarding newsworthiness criteria, the "potential for public impact" and "new information or development" are the major criteria cited, followed by "ability to provide a human angle" and "ability to provide a local angle." Significant differences were seen between responses from reporters vs. editors and print vs. broadcast outlets.

Risk perceptions and worry are important constructs in many theoretical frameworks used to develop cancer screening interventions. Because most cancers for which we have early detection or prevention strategies are gender specific, few investigations have examined gender differences. We examined gender differences in the magnitude of, and associations with, perceived risk and worry by cancer type. Our sample included 939 men and 1,580 women >or= 50 years old with no history of relevant cancers from the 2003 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Dependent variables included absolute and comparative perceived risk and worry for gender-specific (breast/prostate) and colon cancers. We examined demographics, health status, health behaviors, cancer beliefs, and cancer communication variables as correlates. Linear regression analyses and pairwise contrasts were conducted with SUDAAN. Men reported greater comparative perceived risk for developing cancers, whereas women reported more frequent cancer worry. For both genders, perceived risk and worry were lowest for colon cancer. Correlates of perceived risk and worry varied, and several associations were moderated by gender. Different risk messages and intervention strategies may be needed to influence males' and females' perceived cancer risk and worry. All effect sizes were small, and future prospective research is needed to confirm our findings.