This is a 2-arm randomized controlled trial to test the effects of hookah tobacco public education messages among young adults who are susceptible non-users of hookah tobacco and those who are current hookah tobacco users. The primary outcomes are hookah tobacco use behavior (initiation among baseline susceptible non-users, frequency of use and cessation among baseline current users) at 6-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes are curiosity to use hookah tobacco (susceptible non-users) and motivation to quit using hookah tobacco (current hookah users) measured at 6-month follow-up. These outcomes will also be measured at 2- and 4-month follow-up time points.
This is a 2-arm randomized controlled trial to test the effects of hookah tobacco public education messages among young adults who are susceptible non-users of hookah tobacco and current hookah tobacco users. Primary outcomes of hookah use behavior will be measured at the 6-month follow-up assessment. Secondary outcomes include curiosity to use hookah tobacco among susceptible non-users and motivation to quit using hookah tobacco among current users. All outcomes are also assessed at 2- and 4-month follow-up time points. All trial participants will be recruited from a US national consumer research panel. Eligible participants will be 1) young adults ages 18 to 30 (inclusive); 2) who have never used hookah tobacco but are deemed susceptible or report hookah tobacco use at least once within the past month; and 3) are enrolled members of the partnering consumer research panel. Panel members will be contacted via email with a brief description of the study and a link to an eligibility screener and online informed consent form. Eligible participants will complete a secure online baseline assessment of demographic characteristics, tobacco use history, and measures of hookah tobacco use behavior, beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions. After completing a baseline, participants will be randomly assigned in approximately equal numbers to one of two arms: 1) hookah tobacco messaging arm; 2) control arm. Through 4 brief study communications delivered approximately weekly, participants will receive study messages to which they are randomized and will complete brief self-report measures online on their responses to the messages. For the hookah tobacco messaging arm, communications will consist of study messages conveying risks of hookah tobacco use with random assignment of the order of messages with each exposure. In response to each message, participants will complete measures of message response and hookah-related beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions. Participants in the control condition will receive study communications with brief messages about health behaviors unrelated to tobacco (e.g., sun protection) and will complete the same measures. Hookah tobacco use behaviors, intentions and curiosity to use hookah tobacco (non-users), motivation to quit (current users), and hypothesized mediators will be assessed 2-, 4-, and 6-months after the message exposure period with the primary outcomes captured at 6-month follow-up.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
830
Messages communicating the risks of hookah tobacco use in 4 thematic areas: health harms, addictiveness, social use, flavorings.
Georgetown University
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States
Hookah Tobacco Initiation
Hookah tobacco initiation among those who are susceptible non-users at baseline will be measured using a single valid survey question asking if participants have ever used hookah tobacco, even one or two puffs, at follow-up. The question asks if participants have ever smoked hookah tobacco based on a yes/no response. No hookah tobacco initiation is considered a better outcome. The outcome measure data reports those who responded "Yes" and are considered to have initiated hookah tobacco at the 6 month follow-up.
Time frame: 6 months
Hookah Tobacco Use Frequency
Hookah tobacco use frequency will be measured in baseline current hookah users with a single valid question asking on how many days they smoked hookah tobacco in the past 30 days. Baseline current hookah users who reported they quit were coded as smoking 0 of the past 30 days. Less frequent hookah use is considered a better outcome.
Time frame: 6 months
Hookah Tobacco Cessation
Hookah tobacco cessation is measured using a single valid question adapted from the national Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) survey asking participants who report they have not smoked hookah tobacco if they have stopped smoking hookah tobacco completely. The item asks if participants have completely stopped smoking hookah tobacco based on a yes/no response. Quitting hookah tobacco use (i.e., a response of "yes") is considered a better outcome. The outcome measure data reports those who responded "Yes" and are considered to have stopped smoking hookah tobacco completely at the 6 month follow-up.
Time frame: 6 months
Hookah Tobacco Curiosity
Curiosity to use hookah tobacco will be measured with a single valid item with a 7-point response ranging from 1 (not at all curious) to 7 (very curious) among those who are baseline susceptible non-users. This item will be administered at all time points. Outcomes from the 6-month follow-up are reported. A lower value on the response is considered a better outcome (i.e., less curious in using hookah tobacco).
Time frame: 6 months
Motivation to Quit Smoking Hookah Tobacco
Motivation to quit smoking hookah tobacco will be measured with a single valid item with a 7-point response ranging from 1 (not at all motivated) to 7 (very motivated) among those who are current hookah users. This item will be administered at all time points. A higher value on the response is considered a better outcome (i.e., more motivated to quit smoking hookah tobacco). Outcomes at the 6-month follow-up are reported.
Time frame: 6 months
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