Effect of Tobacco and E-Cigarette-Related Social Media Content on Youth

Introduction E-cigarette and tobacco-related content on social media has been linked to various mechanisms of increased e-cigarette and tobacco use. This study aimed to synthesis the association between exposure to e-cigarette and tobacco-related content and youth behaviors and attitudes. Methods A comprehensive search was conducted as part of a larger study on social media and recreational substance use. Studies published post-2004 reporting effect estimates for exposure or engagement with e-cigarette or tobacco content on social media and behavior or attitude outcomes were included. Results 32 studies (N = 274,283, 9-25 years) were included. Meta-analyses revealed significant associations between engagement with tobacco content and use, to content and never users’ risk and exposure to e-cigarette content and use. There was no observed relationship between exposure to tobacco content and ever users’ risk perceptions. Qualitative synthesis found significant associations between tobacco exposure and increased current use and pro-tobacco attitudes; e-cigarette exposure and increased susceptibility and reduced risk perceptions; tobacco engagement and increased susceptibility; e-cigarette engagement and increased use; dual exposure and increased susceptibility; and dual engagement and increased dual use. Mixed findings were identified for the influence of e-cigarette exposure on attitudes, tobacco exposure on susceptibility, dual exposure on dual use behaviors, and dual engagement on dual susceptibility. Conclusion Exposure to and engagement with content depicting e-cigarette or tobacco products may significantly influence the behaviors and attitudes of youth. Policies should continue to monitor the potential implications of interactions with this content and implementing strategies to reduce the impact of this content.

引言 社交媒体上与电子烟和烟草相关的内容与电子烟和烟草使用增加的各种机制有关。本研究旨在综合接触电子烟和烟草相关内容与青少年行为和态度之间的关联。 方法 作为一项关于社交媒体和娱乐性物质使用的大型研究的一部分，进行了全面的检索。纳入了2004年后发表的研究，这些研究报告了在社交媒体上接触或参与电子烟或烟草内容以及行为或态度结果的效应估计。 结果 纳入了32项研究（样本量N = 274283，年龄9 - 25岁）。荟萃分析显示，参与烟草内容与使用之间、接触烟草内容与从不吸烟者的风险之间以及接触电子烟内容与使用之间存在显著关联。接触烟草内容与曾经吸烟者的风险认知之间未观察到关联。定性综合分析发现，烟草接触与当前使用增加和支持烟草的态度之间存在显著关联；电子烟接触与易感性增加和风险认知降低之间存在显著关联；烟草参与与易感性增加之间存在显著关联；电子烟参与与使用增加之间存在显著关联；双重接触与易感性增加之间存在显著关联；双重参与与双重使用增加之间存在显著关联。对于电子烟接触对态度的影响、烟草接触对易感性的影响、双重接触对双重使用行为的影响以及双重参与对双重易感性的影响，发现了不同的结果。 结论 接触和参与描绘电子烟或烟草产品的内容可能会显著影响青少年的行为和态度。政策应继续监测与这类内容互动的潜在影响，并实施策略以减少这类内容的影响。