Market Research to Predict Emerging Tobacco Product Use in Diverse Young Adults

描述(申请人提供)：近年来，新兴的烟草产品，如小雪茄(即小雪茄、雪茄)、鼻烟、可溶性烟草产品和电子产品 尼古丁输送系统(Ends；即“电子烟”)已被引入美国市场，而水烟或水烟也越来越受欢迎。与使用这些产品相关的健康风险包括对其相对较低的健康风险的误解，将其用作 戒烟的另一种选择，以及对年轻人的潜在吸引力，以及其他担忧。2009年6月，食品和药物管理局(FDA)获得了管理烟草产品制造、营销和分销的权力。目前的建议主要集中在FDA确定的两个主要研究重点领域，特别是为了增加对以下方面的了解：1)烟草产品营销对使用行为、感知、态度和信念的影响；2)如何有效地传达有关烟草产品使用风险和烟草产品监管的信息。这项研究计划的长期目标是通过市场调查，更好地了解烟草产品使用的流行病学，特别是替代烟草产品的使用，以及年轻人对这些烟草产品的态度。市场研究采用了一种新的方法来了解个人，通过定义市场细分，具有相似心理特征的个人(由兴趣、生活方式、目标和价值观定义)，这是对消费者行为的预测。在纵向研究的背景下，还没有研究利用市场研究来改进我们的烟草使用预测模型。这项研究将研究细分市场的心理特征是否预测传统和替代烟草产品的使用，并可能阐明健康信息的有价值的目标，以影响高风险细分市场对这些产品的态度。我们的具体目标是：1)使用市场研究方法，根据佐治亚州高校的年轻人的心理特征，确定他们的细分市场；2)检查两年来大学生细分市场中烟草使用的流行病学；3)调查使用替代烟草产品的原因，以及如何最好地构建信息，以改变人们对这些产品和烟草产品监管的态度。目标1和目标2将通过对1,200名18-25岁的大学生进行纵向队列研究来实现。目标3将通过对队列中60名烟草产品使用者的半结构化访谈来解决。这项研究将提供有关高危青少年的新信息，以及如何最好地传播与使用烟草，特别是替代烟草产品相关的健康风险，以及如何促进对FDA监管机构的支持。未来的研究将开发和测试在高危年轻人中促进烟草使用、预防和戒烟的信息，并将使用这一方法处理更广泛的弱势人群。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In recent years, emerging tobacco products, such as small cigars (i.e., little cigars, cigarillos), snuff, dissolvable tobacco products, and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS; i.e., "e-cigarettes"), have been introduced to the US market, while water pipes or hookah have increased in popularity. The health risks associated with the utilization of these products include misperceptions of their relatively lower health risks, use as an alternative to smoking cessation, and potential appeal to youth, among other concerns. In June 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acquired the authority to regulate the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of tobacco products. The current proposal primarily focuses on two main research priority areas established by the FDA, specifically to increase understanding of: 1) the impact of tobacco product marketing on use behaviors, perception, attitudes, and beliefs; and 2) how to effectively convey information regarding risks of tobacco product use and the regulation of tobacco products. The long-term goal of this research program is to better understand the epidemiology of tobacco product use, particularly alternative tobacco product use, and attitudes toward these tobacco products among young adults through the use of market research. Market research employs a novel approach to understanding individuals by defining market segments, individuals with similar psychographic profiles (defined by interests, lifestyles, goals, and values), which are predictive of consumer behavior. No research has employed market research to improve our predictive models of tobacco use in the context of longitudinal research. This study will examine whether psychographic profiles of market segments predict traditional and alternative tobacco product use and may elucidate valuable targets for health messaging to impact attitudes regarding these products among high-risk segments. Our specific aims are to: 1) identify market segments of young adults attending colleges and universities in Georgia based on their psychographic profiles using market research methodology; 2) examine the epidemiology of tobacco use among college student market segments over two years; and 3) investigate reasons for use of alternative tobacco products and how to best frame messages to alter attitudes about these products and regarding regulation of tobacco products. Aims 1 and 2 will be addressed through a longitudinal cohort study of 1,200 college students aged 18-25. Aim 3 will be addressed using semi- structured interviews of 60 tobacco product users from the cohort. This research will provide novel information regarding high-risk youth and how to best communicate health risks associated with using tobacco, particularly alternative tobacco products, as well as how to promote support for FDA's regulatory authority. Future research will develop and test messages to promote tobacco use prevention and cessation among high-risk young adults and will address a broader range of vulnerable populations using this approach.