Anti-smoking Messages for Smoking Cessation

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

+1 other location

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: Georgia State University

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?Young adults are particularly vulnerable to psychological distress during the transition from adolescence to adulthood, making them more susceptible to developing persistent substance use. The tobacco industry capitalizes on this vulnerability by using marketing tactics to promote tobacco initiation and facilitate the progression from experimental tobacco use to long-term use. In China, where the average age of starting daily smoking is 21.1 years old, the number of current young adult smokers exceeds 29 million. It is crucial to develop effective communication messages to counter the tobacco industry's marketing strategies and protect the health of young adults in China. This project aims to test the effects of different anti-smoking message themes among Chinese young adults. In this online randomized clinical trial, participants will be randomly assigned to one of five antismoking message conditions. The investigators will compare the effects of these themes with each other and with the control condition.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for Chinese young adults who are either smokers or non-smokers. It aims to find effective ways to communicate anti-smoking messages, considering the high number of young adult smokers in China and their susceptibility to tobacco industry marketing.

Inclusion Criteria

Can read, speak, and understand Mandarin Chinese

Current residency in China

I am between 18 and 25 years old.

+2 more

Exclusion Criteria

Not applicable.

Participant Groups

The study tests different themes of anti-smoking messages: health effects, secondhand smoke, mental health concerns, tobacco industry manipulation, and social acceptability. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of these message conditions or a control group without any specific messaging.

6Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Group I: Tobacco industry manipulationExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants will receive messages with information about how the tobacco industry uses targeted marketing and manipulative tactics aimed at youth and young adults.

Group II: Social acceptabilityExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants will receive messages that portray smoking as socially unacceptable in China.

Group III: Secondhand smokeExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants will receive messages with information about secondhand smoke exposure.

Group IV: Mental HealthExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants will receive messages with information about the effects of smoking on mental health.

Group V: Health effectsExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants will receive messages with information about smoking-related diseases.

Group VI: ControlExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants will receive messages about bottled water which should have no impact on the outcomes of interest.