April 7-9, 2022 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Communication Strategies to Promote Comprehensive Well-being
Communication Strategies to Promote Comprehensive Well-being
Abstract: Design of and Receptivity to a Peer-developed Public Service Announcement to Support E-cigarette Prevention among Youth in KY
Background: As of 2021, over 2 million youth reported current e-cigarette use, putting young people at risk for dependence and the associated health consequences. Although previous research has supported the effectiveness of mass media tobacco prevention campaigns tailored for specific target audiences, less is known regarding effective messages to deter youth e-cigarette use. The purpose of our study is to: 1) synthesize evidence-based strategies for developing effective youth tobacco prevention media campaigns; 2) summarize the development of a peer-led tailored media message to deter Kentucky youth from using e-cigarettes; and 3) share receptivity to and perceived effectiveness of the media message among a sub-sample of Kentucky youth. Messaging Development: Trained college facilitators conducted formative research through a literature review and facilitated focus groups among 17 high school students from one Kentucky school in May, 2021 to identify best practices and effective characteristics of existing mass media campaigns specific to young people. Students watched three one-minute tailored public service announcements, and peer-leaders prompted students to discuss attitudes toward messaging approaches on general e-cigarette information through a semi-structured interview consisting of open-ended questions. Qualitative themes that were summarized and guided media development included preference for content centered around testimonials, a desire for relatability, and visual representation of youth. Considering these lessons learned, college facilitators drafted a storyboard for the peer-led tailored testimonial video. The drafted testimonial video was then shared with three high school students on a youth advisory board to provide additional feedback. Edits were taken into consideration for the final product of the media campaign. Messaging Evaluation: The video was disseminated as part of an existing peer-led e-cigarette prevention program. Using a cross-sectional design, immediately following the presentation, participating students were invited to complete an online survey including items adapted from the Perceived Effectiveness Scale. Results: Results for the video evaluation are forthcoming. Conclusion: Given the increase in e-cigarette use among youth, media campaigns provide an opportunity to reach specific at-risk populations. However, there is a need to conduct formative research to develop effective media campaigns that resonate with youth, and involving peers in campaign development and testing may enhance the relatability of message strategies.