Sarah D. Kowitt

Electronic Cigarette Use Among High School Students and Its Association With Cigarette Use And Smoking Cessation, North Carolina Youth Tobacco Surveys, 2011 and 2013.

Introduction Although adolescent cigarette use continues to decline in the United States, electronic cigarette (e‑cigarette) use among adolescents has escalated rapidly. This study assessed trends and patterns of e‑cigarette use and concurrent cigarette smoking and the relationships between e-cigarette use and smoking cessation intentions and behaviors among high school students in North Carolina. Methods Data came from high school students who completed the school-based, cross-sectional North Carolina Youth Tobacco Survey in 2011 (n = 4,791) and 2013 (n = 4,092). This study assessed changes in prevalence of e-cigarette and cigarette use from 2011 through 2013, and cessation-related factors associated with those students’ current and past use of e‑cigarettes in 2013. Results The prevalence of current e-cigarette use (use in the past 30 days) significantly increased from 1.7% (95% CI, 1.3%–2.2%) in 2011 to 7.7% (95% CI, 5.9%–10.0%) in 2013. Among dual users, current e-cigarette use was negatively associated with intention to quit cigarette smoking for good (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 0.51; 95% CI, 0.29–0.87) and with attempts to quit cigarette smoking in the past 12 months (RRR = 0.69; 95% CI, 0.49–0.97). Current e-cigarette smokers were less likely than those who only smoked cigarettes to have ever abstained from cigarette smoking for 6 months (RRR = 0.42; 95% CI, 0.21–0.82) or 1 year (RRR = 0.21; 95% CI, 0.09–0.51) and to have used any kind of aids for smoking cessation (RRR = 0.46; 95% CI, 0.29–0.74). Conclusion Public health practitioners and cessation clinic service providers should educate adolescents about the risks of using any nicotine-containing products, including e-cigarettes, and provide adequate tobacco cessation resources and counseling to adolescent tobacco users.

Poly-Tobacco Use among High School Students

Although cigarette use by adolescents is declining, emerging tobacco products are becoming increasingly popular and youth may use more than one type of tobacco product. The purposes of this study were: (1) to assess patterns of poly-tobacco use among a representative sample of high school students and (2) to determine how beliefs correlate with poly-tobacco use. Data came from the 2013 North Carolina Youth Tobacco Survey (n = 4092). SAS logistic regression survey procedures were used to account for the complex survey design and sampling weights. Among all high school students in NC in 2013, 29.7% reported current any tobacco use, with 19.1% reporting current poly-tobacco use, and 10.6% reporting current use of only one product. Among poly-tobacco users, 59.3% reported that one of the products they currently used was cigarettes. Positive tobacco product beliefs were found to be significantly associated with poly-tobacco use. Communication campaigns, policy efforts, and future research are needed for prevention, regulation, and control of poly-tobacco use among adolescents, which represents a significant public health problem.

Emotional Support for Diabetes Management: An International Cross-Cultural Study

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore how emotional support emerged in interactions between peer supporters (PSs) and adults living with type 2 diabetes. Methods Qualitative data were analyzed from 22 semistructured interviews with PSs in 3 settings: low-income Latinos in Chicago, middle-class Caucasians in the United Kingdom, and low-income African American women in North Carolina. Emotional support was defined as expressions of empathy, trust, and caring. Results Across all sites, emotional support gradually emerged over time, was often combined with informational support, and was conveyed both implicitly (through nonverbal actions connoting emotional acceptance; eg, a walk together without discussion of problems) and explicitly (eg, by reassurance or discussion of stressors). Cross-site differences did appear regarding the strategies to address barriers to diabetes management (eg, PSs in North Carolina and Chicago reported providing support for social stressors) and the role of PSs (eg, PSs in Chicago reported providing directive support). Conclusions Across different settings and populations, emotional support for diabetes management evolved over time, was often integrated with informational support, and emerged through both implicit and explicit strategies that addressed varied context-specific stressors.

Community Health Workers as Agents of Health Promotion: Analyzing Thailand’s Village Health Volunteer Program

The village health volunteers (VHVs) have been a regular part of Thailand’s health system since the 1960s. Despite widespread recognition, little research has been conducted to describe VHV activities, the settings in which VHVs provide help, how the program is administered, and how changing politics and health problems in Thailand have influenced the program. In order to understand the roles and practices of the VHVs, we conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus groups with VHVs, community leaders and members, and public health officials in three semi-urban communities in central Thailand. Using the Social Ecological Framework, we mapped factors that influenced how the VHVs provided support, including governmental oversight, collaboration with public health officials, and community trust. These influences are discussed as “points of consideration,” which help to identify the strengths and tensions within the VHV program and best practices in supporting and assessing community health worker efforts.

Perceptions and Experiences with Flavored Non-Menthol Tobacco Products: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies

Although a few countries have banned flavored cigarettes (except menthol), flavors in most tobacco products remain unregulated across the globe. We conducted a systematic review of qualitative studies examining perceptions of and experiences with flavored non-menthol tobacco products. Of 20 studies on flavored tobacco products included in our qualitative systematic review, 10 examined hookah, six examined e-cigarettes, two examined little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs), and three examined other tobacco products, including cigarettes. The majority of studies, regardless of product type, reported positive perceptions of flavored tobacco products, particularly among young adults and adolescents. In six studies that assessed perceptions of harm (including hookah, LCCs, and other flavored tobacco products), participants believed flavored tobacco products to be less harmful than cigarettes. In studies that examined the role of flavors in experimentation and/or initiation (including three studies on e-cigarettes, one hookah study and one LCC study), participants mentioned flavors as specifically leading to their experimentation and/or initiation of flavored tobacco products. Given that many countries have not yet banned flavors in tobacco products, these findings add to existing research on why individuals use flavored tobacco products and how they perceive harm in flavored tobacco products, providing further support for banning non-menthol flavors in most tobacco products.

They're Doing Something That Actually No One Else Can Do: A Qualitative Study of Peer Support and Primary Care Integration.

Peer support (PS) is a strategy for improving quality of care for people with chronic disease and is increasingly being integrated with primary care. We conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with 18 staff members from 4 practices that have integrated PS and primary care. From these interviews, we identified several benefits of PS and primary care integration as well as challenges to integrating and sustaining PS programs. We also identified key considerations and strategies for facilitating integration. Strategies for developing messaging to promote understanding of the unique role of peer supporters are discussed.

Believability of Cigarette Warnings About Addiction: National Experiments of Adolescents and Adults

Introduction We conducted two experiments to examine the believability of three addiction-focused cigarette warnings and the influence of message source on believability among adolescents and adults in the United States. Methods Experimental data were collected using national phone surveys of adolescents (age 13-17; n = 1125; response rate, 66%) and adults (age 18+; n = 5014; response rate, 42%). We assessed the believability of three cigarette warnings about addiction attributed to four message sources (Food and Drug Administration [FDA], Surgeon General, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], no source). Results The majority of adolescents and adults reported the three cigarette warnings were very believable (49%-81% for adolescents; 47%-76% for adults). We found four to five times higher odds of adolescents believing a warning that cigarettes are addictive (warning 1) or that nicotine was an addictive chemical (warning 2) compared to a warning that differentiated the addictive risks of menthol versus traditional cigarettes (warning 3), warning 1 adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 4.53, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.10, 6.63; warning 2 aOR: 3.87, 95% CI: 2.70, 5.50. Similarly, we found three to five times higher odds of adults (including current smokers) believing the same warnings, warning 1 aOR: 3.74, 95% CI: 2.82, 4.95; warning 2 aOR: 3.24, 95% CI: 2.45, 4.28. Message source had no overall impact on the believability of warnings for either population. Conclusions Our findings support the implementation of FDAs required warnings that cigarettes are addictive and that nicotine is an addictive chemical. These believable warnings may deter adolescents from initiating smoking and encourage adults to quit smoking. Implications This article describes, for the first time, the believability of different cigarette warnings about addiction. We now know that the majority of adolescents and adults believe cigarette warnings that highlight cigarettes as addictive and that nicotine is an addictive chemical in tobacco. However, a warning that highlighted the relative risk of addiction for menthol cigarettes compared to traditional cigarettes was not as believable among either population. Our findings support the implementation of FDAs required warnings that cigarettes are addictive and that nicotine is an addictive chemical that may deter adolescents from initiating smoking and encourage adults to quit smoking.

Attitudes Toward FDA Regulation of Newly Deemed Tobacco Products

Objective To examine how smokers perceive FDA oversight of e-cigarettes, hookah, and cigars. Methods Current US smokers (N = 1,520) participating in a randomized clinical trial of pictorial cigarette pack warnings completed a survey that included questions about attitudes toward new FDA regulations covering newly deemed tobacco products (ie, regulation of e-cigarettes, nicotine gels or liquids used in e-cigarettes, hookah, and cigars). Results Between 47% and 56% of current smokers viewed these new FDA regulations favorably and between 17% - 24% opposed them. Favorable attitudes toward the regulations were more common among smokers with higher quit intentions (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.17, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.33) and more negative beliefs about smokers (aOR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.33). Participants with higher education, higher income, and previous exposure to e-cigarette advertisements had higher odds of expressing positive attitudes toward the new FDA regulations (p < .05). Conclusions Almost half of current smokers viewed FDA regulation of newly deemed tobacco products favorably. Local and state policy-makers and tobacco control advocates can build on this support to enact and strengthen tobacco control provisions for e-cigarettes, cigars, and hookah.

Believability of new diseases reported in the 2014 Surgeon General's Report on smoking: Experimental results from a national survey of US adults

BACKGROUND Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death globally. The 2014 Surgeon Generals Report included new diseases linked to smoking, including liver and colon cancer, diabetes and tuberculosis. As more diseases are linked to smoking, which diseases should we communicate to the public and what message source has the most impact? METHODS Data were collected through a nationally representative phone survey of US adults (N=5014), conducted from September 2014 through May 2015. We experimentally randomized participants to a 2 (new smoking disease messages - liver and colon cancers compared to diabetes and tuberculosis) by 4 (message sources - CDC, FDA, Surgeon General, and none) experiment. The outcome was message believability. RESULTS About half the sample was female (51.5%) and 17.8% were a current smoker. Overall, 56% of participants said the messages were very believable. Cancer messages (liver and colon cancer) were significantly more believable than messages about chronic disease (tuberculosis and diabetes), 61% vs. 52%. Smokers were less likely to report both sets of new disease messages as very believable compared to non-smokers. Significantly more smokers intending to quit (44.5%) found the messages to be very believable compared to smokers not intending to quit (22.6%). Believability did not differ by message source. CONCLUSION Important differences exist in believability of disease messages about new tobacco-related information. Messages emphasizing the causal link between smoking and new diseases should be considered for use in mass media campaigns.

Public attitudes toward larger cigarette pack warnings: Results from a nationally representative U.S. sample

A large body of evidence supports the effectiveness of larger health warnings on cigarette packages. However, there is limited research examining attitudes toward such warning labels, which has potential implications for implementation of larger warning labels. The purpose of the current study was to examine attitudes toward larger warning sizes on cigarette packages and examine variables associated with more favorable attitudes. In a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults (N = 5,014), participants were randomized to different warning size conditions, assessing attitude toward “a health warning that covered (25, 50, 75) % of a cigarette pack.” SAS logistic regression survey procedures were used to account for the complex survey design and sampling weights. Across experimental groups, nearly three-quarters (72%) of adults had attitudes supportive of larger warning labels on cigarette packs. Among the full sample and smokers only (N = 1,511), most adults had favorable attitudes toward labels that covered 25% (78.2% and 75.2%, respectively), 50% (70% and 58.4%, respectively), and 75% (67.9% and 61%, respectively) of a cigarette pack. Young adults, females, racial/ethnic minorities, and non-smokers were more likely to have favorable attitudes toward larger warning sizes. Among smokers only, females and those with higher quit intentions held more favorable attitudes toward larger warning sizes. Widespread support exists for larger warning labels on cigarette packages among U.S. adults, including among smokers. Our findings support the implementation of larger health warnings on cigarette packs in the U.S. as required by the 2009 Tobacco Control Act.