Testing antismoking messages for Air Force trainees

Using the Socio-ecological Model to Explore Facilitators and Deterrents of Tobacco Use Among Airmen in Technical Training

INTRODUCTION

Military personnel have some of the highest rates of tobacco use in the USA. Within the Air Force, a common point of Airmen's (re-)initiation of tobacco use is during technical training once the tobacco ban has been lifted. Unfortunately, little is known about what factors facilitate and deter tobacco use during technical training. The socio-ecological model, which emphasizes multiple levels of influence on behavior (e.g., personal, intrapersonal, and environmental), provides a strong and comprehensive basis for which to explore factors that may impact tobacco use during technical training.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-two focus groups were conducted among Airmen (n = 10), Military Training Leaders (MTLs, n = 7), and Technical Training Instructors (TTIs, n = 5). Semi-structured focus group protocols were developed based on the socio-ecological model and included questions intended to elicit factors that facilitated and deterred tobacco use during technical training. Focus groups were transcribed and then coded using a hybrid deductive-inductive process.

RESULTS

At the personal level, five factors were identified that influenced tobacco use: choice, fit with lifestyle, associations with the tobacco experience, association with military job outcomes, and association with health outcomes. Three interpersonal level factors were identified: peer influence, leadership influence, and normative beliefs. There were two influential environmental level factors: pricing and promotion and access to tobacco. Except for normative beliefs, all personal, interpersonal, and environmental-level factors were discussed as having aspects that could either facilitate or deter tobacco use. Normative beliefs, an interpersonal-level factor, were only discussed as a facilitator of tobacco use.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, study findings can be used to enhance the effectiveness of tobacco prevention and cessation programs for Air Force Technical Trainees. Specific strategies to support the reduction of tobacco use among Airmen are presented.

Rationale, design, and methods for the development of a youth adapted Brief Tobacco Intervention plus automated text messaging for high school students

BACKGROUND

Tobacco use is increasing among youth in the U.S. The current study seeks to develop and pilot test a universal group-based Youth Brief Tobacco Intervention (Y-BTI) plus mobile phone automated text messaging (ATM) for 9th grade students to both prevent initiation among non-users and promote cessation among current users.

METHODS

This study will use a sequential, multi-method research design beginning with mixed methods formative work with 9th grade students to adapt the existing young adult Brief Tobacco Intervention (BTI) for youth and develop automated text messages. The formative work with students will identify salient themes and strategies for the interventions and optimal delivery schedules for the ATM intervention. The second phase of the study evaluates the Y-BTI and ATM through a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial that compares four treatment combinations: (1) Y-BTI + ATM, (2) Y-BTI alone, (3) ATM alone, or (4) standard of care. The Y-BTI is a single session, group-based intervention delivered in schools. The ATM intervention will provide comparable content to the Y-BTI but be delivered via text messaging 3-5 times per week for four weeks.

CONCLUSION

In order to curb the rise of tobacco use among youth, interventions that are easily implemented and disseminated need to be developed. We aim to build upon previous research by showing that a universal group-based Y-BTI and ATM are effective in reducing tobacco use among a 9th graders by preventing initiation among tobacco naïve youth and promoting cessation among current users.

"Nobody Views It As a Negative Thing to Smoke": A Qualitative Study of the Relationship Between United States Air Force Culture and Tobacco Use

INTRODUCTION

Tobacco use has long been a part of military culture, and rates of tobacco use remain higher among military personnel compared to civilians. The current study examines aspects of Air Force tobacco culture that encourage tobacco use.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted 7 focus groups among Air Force Military Training Leaders (n=48) and 5 focus groups among Technical Training Instructors (n=33) from July 2018 to February 2019.

RESULTS

Tobacco use was seen as a core part of Air Force culture and a low risk behavior, in contrast to other potential activities. Three themes of Air Force culture that facilitate tobacco use emerged: 1) opportunity for work breaks; 2) finding common ground; and 3) stress management or stress relief during deployment. Smoke pits were seen as serving several functions that were not perceived to occur anywhere else: an opportunity for informal communication with leadership, a source of valuable information, and a space for problem solving.

CONCLUSIONS

Airmen viewed tobacco as serving a functional role, which outweighed its harm. Future programs might try to address the functions fulfilled by tobacco in order to enhance their impact.

An experimental study of messages communicating potential harms of electronic cigarettes

There has been an upsurge of e-cigarette use in the United States in recent years. While e-cigarettes may contain lower levels of toxic chemicals than combusted cigarettes, they still pose serious health hazards, including increased risk for heart and respiratory disease. Despite these risks, public awareness of the health harms of e-cigarettes remains low. Thus, it is important to educate the public about the potential harms of e-cigarettes. This study took themes commonly found in antismoking messages and used them to develop messages about harms of e-cigarettes. A national sample of 2801 current smokers and nonsmokers (aged 18+ years) were randomized to view one of four e-cigarette messages (harmful effect of chemicals, uncertainty about ingredients, distrust of big tobacco, or cost of vaping) or a control message (bottled water ad). Participants' reactions to the messages and behavioral intentions were assessed immediately following the exposure. MANOVA examined effects of the messages on blocks of the outcome variables and univariate analyses estimated adjusted means for each experimental condition for each outcome. The message about harmful chemicals was perceived as the most informative and effective and elicited the highest levels of negative emotions (Ps<0.05). However, on measures of actual effectiveness, the other messages performed equally well. Specifically, messages with different themes (harmful chemicals, uncertainty about ingredients, anti-industry, or financial cost) increased perceived risk of e-cigarettes, support for e-cigarette control, and lowered self-exempting beliefs and intentions to use e-cigarettes (Ps<0.05). Themes commonly used in anti-smoking messages may be effective in educating the public about the potential harm of e-cigarettes. The observed differential effects of the messages suggest the need to use multiple themes in a public education campaign about e-cigarettes.

Evaluating the Effects of a Brief Tobacco Intervention in the US Air Force

INTRODUCTION

Military personnel have among the highest rates of tobacco use in the United States. Unfortunately, there are few interventions aimed at reducing tobacco use among this vulnerable population. The current study addresses this need by evaluating the short-term effectiveness of a Brief Tobacco Intervention (BTI), a 40-min group-based intervention designed to reduce contemporary patterns of tobacco use among a sample of US military enlistees during an 11-week period of involuntary tobacco abstinence.

AIMS AND METHODS

Participants were 2999 US Air Force Technical Trainees at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas from April 2017 through January 2018. Participants were cluster randomized to three conditions: (1) BTI + Airman's Guide to Remaining Tobacco Free (AG), (2) AG intervention, or (3) standard smoking cessation intervention. The primary analysis was a comparison of the interventions' efficacies in preventing tobacco use during Technical Training, conducted using a generalized estimating equations logistic regression model controlling for covariates. Multiple imputation was used to account for loss to follow-up.

RESULTS

There was not a significant difference by condition in the use of tobacco products at follow-up (p = .454). The BTI + AG condition did produce short-term changes in perceived harm, intentions to use tobacco, knowledge about tobacco products, and normative beliefs.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that while the intervention was effective in the short term, it was not potent enough over a 12-week period to prevent Airmen from initiating tobacco use. Future studies should examine whether adding a booster session or media campaign enhances the effectiveness of the intervention.

IMPLICATIONS

Despite the fact that most Airmen believe they will remain tobacco free following the ban in Technical Training, a large percentage of these Airmen resume and initiate tobacco use during this high-risk period. As a result, there is a need for interventions targeting the range of tobacco available to military trainees during a teachable moment when they report intentions to remain tobacco free. The current study shows that a BTI has promise in reducing long-term tobacco use, when coupled with additional interventions, such as a booster session or a media campaign.

E-Cigarette Marketing and Communication: How E-Cigarette Companies Market E-Cigarettes and the Public Engages with E-cigarette Information

Introduction

Given the lack of regulation on marketing of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in the United States and the increasing exchange of e-cigarette-related information online, it is critical to understand how e-cigarette companies market e-cigarettes and how the public engages with e-cigarette information.

Methods

Results are from a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature on e-cigarettes via a PubMed search through June 1, 2017. Search terms included: "e-cigarette*" or "electronic cigarette" or "electronic cigarettes" or "electronic nicotine delivery" or "vape" or "vaping." Experimental studies, quasi-experimental studies, observational studies, qualitative studies, and mixed methods studies providing empirical findings on e-cigarette marketing and communication (ie, nonmarketing communication in the public) were included.

Results

One hundred twenty-four publications on e-cigarette marketing and communication were identified. They covered topics including e-cigarette advertisement claims/promotions and exposure/receptivity, the effect of e-cigarette advertisements on e-cigarette and cigarette use, public engagement with e-cigarette information, and the public's portrayal of e-cigarettes. Studies show increases in e-cigarette marketing expenditures and online engagement through social media over time, that e-cigarettes are often framed as an alternative to combustible cigarettes, and that e-cigarette advertisement exposure may be associated with e-cigarette trial in adolescents and young adults.

Discussion

Few studies examine the effects of e-cigarette marketing on perceptions and e-cigarette and cigarette use. Evidence suggests that exposure to e-cigarette advertisements affects perceptions and trial of e-cigarettes, but there is no evidence that exposure affects cigarette use. No studies examined how exposure to e-cigarette communication, particularly misleading or inaccurate information, impacts e-cigarette, and tobacco use behaviors.

Implications

The present article provides a comprehensive review of e-cigarette marketing and how the public engages with e-cigarette information. Studies suggest an association between exposure to e-cigarette marketing and lower harm perceptions of e-cigarettes, intention to use e-cigarettes, and e-cigarette trial, highlighting the need to for advertising regulations that support public health goals. Findings from this review also present the methodological limitations of the existing research (primarily due to cross-sectional and correlational analyses) and underscore the need for timely, rigorous research to provide an accurate understanding of e-cigarette marketing and communication and its impact on e-cigarette and tobacco product use.

Pro-tobacco marketing and anti-tobacco campaigns aimed at vulnerable populations: A review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

We reviewed research literature on pro-tobacco marketing and anti-tobacco campaigns targeting eight vulnerable populations to determine key findings and research gaps. Results can inform tobacco policy and control efforts and the design of public education campaigns for these groups.

METHODS

Five journal databases in medicine, communication, and science, were used to identify 8875 peer-reviewed, original articles in English, published in the period 2004-2018. There were 144 articles that met inclusion criteria on pro-tobacco marketing or anti-tobacco campaigns aimed at eight US groups: women of reproductive age, racial/ethnic minority groups (African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native), Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender (LGBT) populations, groups with low socioeconomic status, rural/inner city residents, military/veterans, and people with mental health or medical co-morbidities. We summarized the number of articles for each population, type of tobacco, and pro-tobacco or anti-tobacco focus. Narrative summaries were organized by population and by pro-tobacco or anti-tobacco focus, with key strategies and gaps by group.

RESULTS

There were more studies on pro-tobacco marketing rather than anti-tobacco campaigns, and on cigarettes rather than other tobacco products. Major gaps included studies on Asian Americans, American Indian/Alaska Natives, pregnant women, LGBT populations, and those with mental health or medical co-morbidities. Gaps related to tobacco products were found for hookah, snus, and pipe/roll-your-own tobacco in the pro-tobacco studies, and for all products except cigarettes in anti-tobacco studies. Common tobacco industry methods used were tailoring of product and package design and messages that were used to reach and appeal to different sociodemographic groups. Studies varied by research design making it difficult to compare results.

CONCLUSIONS

We found major research gaps for specific groups and tobacco products. Public education campaigns need a stronger foundation in empirical studies focused on these populations. Research and practice would benefit from studies that permit comparisons across studies.

Testing messages about comparative risk of electronic cigarettes and combusted cigarettes

INTRODUCTION

Health agencies are grappling with communicating risks of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) compared with combusted cigarettes. This study examined smokers' responses to two types of comparative risk messages with one type incorporating more negative antismoking elements in the design.

METHODS

In an online experiment, 1400 US adult (18+ years) current smokers and recent quitters were randomised to view one of three comparative risk messages about e-cigarettes (CR messages), one of three comparative risk messages that included more negative antismoking elements in the design (CR- messages) or a control message. Selection of outcomes was guided by the antismoking message impact framework. Multivariate analyses of covariance and logistic regression models analysed effects of messages on message evaluations, e-cigarette-related and cigarette-related beliefs and behavioural intentions.

RESULTS

Both CR and CR- messages decreased smokers' intentions to smoke cigarettes, increased intentions to switch to e-cigarettes completely and increased perceptions that e-cigarettes are less harmful than combusted cigarettes. Neither message type increased dual use intentions relative to exclusive e-cigarettes use or smoking cessation. CR messages decreased perceived absolute risks of e-cigarettes and self-exempting beliefs about smoking, whereas CR- versus CR messages produced higher self-efficacy to quit smoking.

CONCLUSION

Comparative risk communication might encourage smokers to switch to lower-harm tobacco products. Comparative risk messages with more negative antismoking elements in the design might be particularly effective, because they led to higher self-efficacy to quit smoking. Regulatory agencies may consider using comparative risk messages with more negative antismoking elements to educate the public about lower risk of e-cigarettes.

Feeling Hopeful Motivates Change: Emotional Responses to Messages Communicating Comparative Risk of Electronic Cigarettes and Combusted Cigarettes

BACKGROUND

Emotions are important in smoking-related communications, but the role of discrete positive and negative emotions in comparative risk messages about combusted and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is unclear.

METHOD

In an online experiment, 1,202 U.S. adult current smokers or recent quitters were randomized to view one of six messages about comparative risk of e-cigarettes and cigarettes. Participants reported their feelings of hope, happiness, fear, guilt, disgust, and anger and risk perceptions and behavioral intentions about e-cigarettes and cigarettes.

RESULTS

Hope was associated with higher perceived absolute cigarette risk, lower perceived absolute and comparative e-cigarette risk, and stronger intentions to quit smoking, seek quit help, use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), switch to e-cigarettes, and use e-cigarettes exclusively versus dual use. Happiness was related to stronger intentions to seek quit help, use NRT, and switch to e-cigarettes but higher perceived comparative risk of e-cigarettes. Fear was associated with stronger intentions to quit smoking, seek quit help, use NRT, and switch to e-cigarettes. Guilt was related to higher perceived absolute cigarette risk, lower perceived comparative e-cigarette risk, and stronger intentions to use NRT. Disgust was associated with higher absolute and comparative e-cigarette risk and stronger intentions to quit smoking, seek quit help, and use e-cigarettes exclusively versus dual use. Anger was related to lower perceived absolute cigarette risk, higher perceived comparative e-cigarette risk, and weaker intentions to quit smoking.

CONCLUSION

Comparative risk messages about e-cigarettes that arouse hope, fear, and guilt and avoid anger might be particularly likely to have positive impact on smokers.

Developing health communication messaging for a social marketing campaign to reduce tobacco use in pregnancy among Alaska Native women

Background

Despite the high prevalence of tobacco use during pregnancy among Alaska Native and American Indian (AI/AN) women, few efforts have focused on developing tobacco cessation interventions for this group. This paper describes development of messaging for a social media campaign targeting the entire community to reduce tobacco use in pregnancy (cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use including a homemade product known as Iqmik) among AN women, as part of a multi-component intervention.

Method

The study (clinical trial registration #NCT02083081) used mixed methods with two rounds of assessments to develop and refine culturally relevant message appeals. Round 1 used qualitative focus groups and individual interviews (N=60), and Round 2 used quantitative survey interviews (N=52). Each round purposively sampled adult AN pregnant women, family/friends, and Elders in Western Alaska, and included tobacco users and non-users. Round 1 also assessed reasons for tobacco use in pregnancy.

Results

Qualitative findings generally converged with quantitative results to indicate that many participants preferred factual, loss-framed, visual concepts on how maternal tobacco use harms the fetus, newborn, and child; in contrast to spiritual or emotional appeals, or gain-framed messaging. Stress was indicated as a major reason for tobacco use in pregnancy and strategies to manage stress along with other health pregnancy targets (e.g., prenatal care) were suggested.

Conclusions

This preliminary study suggests campaign messages targeting the entire community to reduce tobacco use in pregnancy among rural AN women should include factual messaging for being tobacco-free as well as focus on reducing stress and other healthy pregnancy targets.

The comparative effectiveness of two brief tobacco interventions in the U.S. Air Force: Perceived harm and intentions-to-use of tobacco products

INTRODUCTION

Brief health prevention programs have been shown efficacious in prevention of tobacco use initiation and re-initiation in the US Air Force. In this manuscript we apply a comparative effectiveness assessment of two published studies, based on testing the equality of effect sizes for perceived harm and intentions-to-use for five tobacco products.

METHODS

We calculate and compare the effect sizes from the brief tobacco intervention (BTI) study (N=1055) with those of the anti-tobacco media campaign (MEDIA) study (N=665), for perceived harm and intentions-to-use of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigarillos, e-cigarettes and hookah, among Airmen in the US Air Force Technical Training. Univariate and multivariate parametric and non-parametric methods and models were applied to compare the outcomes between the interventions. In addition, we calculate and report the cost of each intervention per Airman.

RESULTS

Effect sizes for perceived harm were 0.24–0.99 for BTI and 0.17–0.33 for MEDIA, while intentions-to-use effect sizes were 0.14–0.34 for BTI and 0.01– 0.07 for MEDIA, depending on the product. BTI intervention effects sizes were significantly greater than MEDIA intervention for all products, mainly among past users, and for both perceived harm (all p<0.0001) and intentions-to-use (all p<0.01). Cost per Airmen was comparable between the two interventions, $14.90 for BTI and $16.52 for MEDIA.

CONCLUSIONS

Direct comparison suggests that BTI produced effect sizes of significantly higher magnitude in the desired direction for perceived harm and intentions-to-use, for five tobacco products most commonly used by the Airmen, and mainly among past users.

Overview of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems: A Systematic Review

CONTEXT

Rapid developments in e-cigarettes, or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), and the evolution of the overall tobacco product marketplace warrant frequent evaluation of the published literature. The purpose of this article is to report updated findings from a comprehensive review of the published scientific literature on ENDS.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

The authors conducted a systematic review of published empirical research literature on ENDS through May 31, 2016, using a detailed search strategy in the PubMed electronic database, expert review, and additional targeted searches. Included studies presented empirical findings and were coded to at least one of nine topics: (1) Product Features; (2) Health Effects; (3) Consumer Perceptions; (4) Patterns of Use; (5) Potential to Induce Dependence; (6) Smoking Cessation; (7) Marketing and Communication; (8) Sales; and (9) Policies; reviews and commentaries were excluded. Data from included studies were extracted by multiple coders (October 2015 to August 2016) into a standardized form and synthesized qualitatively by topic.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

There were 687 articles included in this systematic review. The majority of studies assessed patterns of ENDS use and consumer perceptions of ENDS, followed by studies examining health effects of vaping and product features.

CONCLUSIONS

Studies indicate that ENDS are increasing in use, particularly among current smokers, pose substantially less harm to smokers than cigarettes, are being used to reduce/quit smoking, and are widely available. More longitudinal studies and controlled trials are needed to evaluate the impact of ENDS on population-level tobacco use and determine the health effects of longer-term vaping.

Do Emotions Spark Interest in Alternative Tobacco Products?

BACKGROUND

Exposure to advertisements for tobacco products and tobacco warning labels evokes emotions. This study evaluated the association of discrete positive and negative emotions with interest in alternative tobacco products.

METHOD

In 2013, 1,226 U.S. adult nonsmokers and current smokers viewed advertisements for moist snuff, snus, and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) with various warning labels and then indicated their emotional responses in terms of anger, anxiety, sadness, guilt, disgust, discouragement, hope, and contentment. Outcomes were openness to using moist snuff, snus, and e-cigarettes in the future and interest in a free sample of each product. Data were analyzed in 2016.

RESULTS

Hope was positively associated with openness and interest across all alternative tobacco products as was contentment for moist snuff and snus. Anger was negatively associated with openness to moist snuff and e-cigarettes, disgust negatively to moist snuff and snus, and anxiety negatively to e-cigarettes. Being a current smoker, ever trying a corresponding product, being male, and younger age were associated with greater openness to and interest in moist snuff and snus. For e-cigarettes, being a current smoker, ever trying e-cigarettes, and being female were associated with greater openness, and being a current smoker was associated with greater odds of selecting a free sample.

CONCLUSIONS

Positive emotions, particularly hope, were consistently positively associated with interest in alternative tobacco products. Hope is widely used by tobacco and e-cigarette companies to advertise their products. Antitobacco messages should aim to lower hope associated with tobacco products but increase hope for cessation or life without tobacco.