Identifying Promising Themes for Adolescent Vaping Warnings: A National Experiment

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• Health Communication

Background:

• Adolescent vaping is a significant public health concern in the United States.
• Understanding effective health warning themes is crucial to deter youth from vaping.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the most compelling health warning themes to discourage vaping among US adolescents.
• To compare the perceived effectiveness of different warning message themes.

Main Methods:

• A national sample of 623 adolescents (aged 13-17) were randomized to view one of five warning themes: chemical harms, lung harms, COVID-19 harms, nicotine addiction, or control (vape litter).
• Perceived message effectiveness (PME), negative affect, attention, social interactions, and message novelty were assessed as outcomes.

Main Results:

• Warning themes related to chemical, lung, and COVID-19 harms were rated higher in PME than nicotine addiction and control themes.
• Chemical, lung, and COVID-19 harms themes also elicited greater negative affect compared to nicotine addiction and control.
• The COVID-19 harms theme showed higher ratings for attention, social interactions, and novelty than nicotine addiction and control themes.

Conclusions:

• Health warnings focusing on lung, chemical, and COVID-19 effects are more effective in discouraging adolescent vaping than those solely on nicotine addiction.
• Public health authorities should diversify warning message themes beyond nicotine addiction to effectively communicate the broader health risks of vaping to adolescents.