Digital Media Campaign for Tobacco Use Prevention

(DMCC Trial)

Overseen By Madeline Martin, MPH

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: George Washington University

Disqualifiers: Not in age range, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 3 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

2800 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

There is little published data on exposure to and evaluations of large-scale, online tobacco control campaigns. This project addresses the gap. Under 2 specific aims, the investigators will identify the independent effects of varying levels of digital message exposure to promote anti-tobacco attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors among youth and young adults, first through a randomized experiment online, and second through a field-based evaluation. These studies will advance the science of digital health and have wide application to future campaigns.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment 'Digital Media Campaign for Tobacco Use Prevention'?

Research shows that tobacco control campaigns, including digital media efforts, can effectively influence tobacco use behaviors and promote quitting. These campaigns are also found to be cost-effective and can positively impact social norms and policy support, which helps sustain quitting and reduce tobacco uptake. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the digital media campaign for tobacco use prevention safe for humans?

The research does not provide specific safety data about digital media campaigns for tobacco use prevention, but these campaigns generally focus on delivering messages to discourage tobacco use and do not involve physical interventions, suggesting they are safe for humans. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How is the digital media campaign for tobacco use prevention different from other treatments for tobacco use?

The digital media campaign for tobacco use prevention is unique because it uses digital advertising to reach a wide audience, focusing on anti-vaping and anti-smoking messages through online platforms. Unlike traditional treatments that may involve medications or counseling, this approach leverages the power of digital media to influence social norms and behaviors, particularly among youth, by promoting awareness and prevention. ^{2 3 5 7 11}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for young adults aged 18-24 who are part of the Ipsos/Knowledge Panel. It's designed to evaluate if digital ads can influence anti-tobacco attitudes and behaviors. People outside this age group or not in the panel cannot participate.

Inclusion Criteria

I am aged 18-24 and a member of the Ipsos/Knowledge Panel.

Exclusion Criteria

Those who do not meet inclusion criteria

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Online Randomized Study

Conduct a 6-month controlled, online, randomized study to compare the effects of varying levels of digital media exposure on tobacco-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral outcomes.

6 months

Field-based Randomized Trial

Evaluate a truth digital campaign to confirm the relationship between digital media exposure, message awareness, and tobacco-related outcomes.

36 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in tobacco-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors after the intervention.

4-6 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Anti-vaping and anti-smoking digital advertising

Trial Overview The study tests the impact of different levels of exposure to anti-vaping and anti-smoking digital advertising on youth and young adult attitudes, beliefs, or actions against tobacco use through online experiments and field evaluations.

Participant Groups

Group I: Digital intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will be randomized to receive variable levels of exposure (including no exposure control) of digital anti-vaping and anti-smoking messages. We will evaluate the effects of experimental condition and exposure on outcomes (tobacco product use).

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

No exposure control condition

Anti-vaping and anti-smoking digital advertising is already approved in United States, European Union for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Anti-vaping campaigns for:

• Prevention of vaping and smoking behavior among youth and young adults

Approved in European Union as Anti-smoking digital advertising for:

• Prevention of smoking behavior among youth and young adults

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

George Washington University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

263

Recruited

476,000+

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Collaborator

Trials

2,896

Recruited

8,053,000+

Findings from Research

Exposure to emotional and graphic antismoking advertisements significantly increases the likelihood of quit attempts among adult smokers, as shown in a study of 8,780 smokers in New York State from 2003 to 2010.

Advertisements that do not evoke strong negative emotions or use graphic images do not have any effect on smokers' attempts to quit, highlighting the importance of impactful messaging in antismoking campaigns.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Promotion of smoking cessation with emotional and/or graphic antismoking advertising. Farrelly, MC., Duke, JC., Davis, KC., et al.[2022]

A digital media campaign promoting the California Smokers' Helpline to healthcare professionals generated over 2.7 million impressions and significantly increased online orders for promotional materials by nearly 40% over three years.

The campaign's success was attributed to a well-defined strategy that allowed for systematic development and implementation, highlighting the importance of learning from past experiences to improve future digital media efforts in smoking cessation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Maximizing the Impact of Digital Media Campaigns to Promote Smoking Cessation: A Case Study of the California Tobacco Control Program and the California Smokers' Helpline. Lee, YO., Momin, B., Hansen, H., et al.[2020]

A systematic review identified 9 key websites that archive anti-tobacco media content, which can be valuable resources for researchers and practitioners in tobacco prevention and control efforts.

While all identified websites contained anti-tobacco content, 56% also included pro-tobacco material, highlighting the need for more focused archives on vaping media as youth vaping rates rise.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Review of Web-Based Tobacco Control Media Archives for Researchers and Practitioners. Kresovich, A., Noar, SM., Gvino, E., et al.[2023]

Only about 12% of healthcare providers in New York State were aware of the NYSDOH's media campaign aimed at promoting tobacco dependence treatment, but those who were aware showed significantly increased beliefs in the effectiveness of nicotine patches and gum for helping patients quit smoking.

The study suggests that while awareness of the campaign positively influenced providers' beliefs about treatment effectiveness, it did not significantly change their clinical behavior, indicating a need for improved campaign delivery to enhance awareness and impact.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of a media campaign promoting health care provider tobacco dependence treatment. Hayes, KA., Brown, EM., Nonnemaker, J., et al.[2023]

Tobacco control campaigns have been shown to effectively influence both adult and youth tobacco use behaviors, demonstrating high cost-effectiveness and positive impacts on social norms and policy support.

Future research should focus on adapting to the changing media landscape and ensuring equitable campaign effects in high smoking prevalence communities, including understanding the best media mix and message strategies to promote quitting and prevent e-cigarette use.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Optimising tobacco control campaigns within a changing media landscape and among priority populations. Durkin, SJ., Brennan, E., Wakefield, MA.[2023]

This scoping review aims to analyze online promotions and discussions about electronic cigarettes from 2007 to 2017, focusing on claims related to health benefits, smoking cessation, and pricing, to understand the messaging surrounding these products.

The review will follow a systematic methodology to ensure comprehensive data collection and will highlight the need for regulatory and health policy discussions regarding the marketing of electronic cigarettes as a safer alternative to traditional smoking.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The messages presented in online electronic cigarette promotions and discussions: a scoping review protocol. McCausland, K., Maycock, B., Jancey, J.[2023]

In a study of 13,165 middle and high school students, exposure to The Real Cost anti-tobacco campaign was linked to lower odds of using other tobacco products and dual/poly tobacco use, suggesting the campaign's effectiveness in reducing certain tobacco behaviors.

Conversely, increased exposure to pro-tobacco advertising was associated with higher odds of exclusive E-cigarette use and dual/poly use, highlighting the influence of advertising on youth tobacco consumption.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Associations Between Exposure to The Real Cost Campaign, Pro-Tobacco Advertisements, and Tobacco Use Among Youth in the U.S. Stevens, EM., Hébert, ET., Keller-Hamilton, B., et al.[2023]

Newly developed warning messages about the health risks of e-cigarettes, particularly those focusing on toxic metals exposure, were found to be significantly more effective in discouraging vaping than the current FDA-required warning, based on a study involving 1629 US adults.

The study also revealed that using images depicting internal harm or individuals suffering from vaping-related issues was more effective in discouraging e-cigarette use compared to images of hazards, suggesting that visual representations of harm can enhance the impact of warning messages.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Optimising messages and images for e-cigarette warnings. Lazard, AJ., Ebrahimi Kalan, M., Nicolla, S., et al.[2023]

E-cigarette advertising expenditures in the USA decreased from $133 million in 2014 to $48 million in 2017, but then surged to $110 million in 2018, indicating a volatile advertising landscape.

Altria was the leading spender on e-cigarette advertising from 2014 to 2018, with significant expenditures, particularly in 2018 when JUUL Labs also made a notable impact with over $73 million spent in that year.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

E-cigarette advertising expenditures in the USA, 2014-2018. Ali, FRM., Marynak, KL., Kim, Y., et al.[2021]

In a study involving 1400 US adult smokers and recent quitters, both types of comparative risk messages about e-cigarettes effectively reduced intentions to smoke traditional cigarettes and increased the likelihood of switching to e-cigarettes, suggesting a potential for harm reduction.

Messages that included more negative antismoking elements not only enhanced self-efficacy to quit smoking but also did not promote dual use of e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes, indicating they may be particularly effective for encouraging smokers to transition to lower-risk products.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Testing messages about comparative risk of electronic cigarettes and combusted cigarettes. Yang, B., Owusu, D., Popova, L.[2020]

This review analyzed 17 tobacco control campaigns evaluated across 51 articles and various reports, highlighting the diversity of metrics used to assess campaign effectiveness, which complicates comparisons between campaigns.

Only 7 out of the 17 campaigns measured how well different media platforms contributed to their success, indicating a need for standardized metrics to better evaluate the impact of digital media in public health campaigns.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Review of Evaluation Metrics Used in Digital and Traditional Tobacco Control Campaigns. Chan, L., O'Hara, B., Phongsavan, P., et al.[2021]

References

1. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Promotion of smoking cessation with emotional and/or graphic antismoking advertising. [2022]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Maximizing the Impact of Digital Media Campaigns to Promote Smoking Cessation: A Case Study of the California Tobacco Control Program and the California Smokers' Helpline. [2020]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Review of Web-Based Tobacco Control Media Archives for Researchers and Practitioners. [2023]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of a media campaign promoting health care provider tobacco dependence treatment. [2023]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Optimising tobacco control campaigns within a changing media landscape and among priority populations. [2023]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The messages presented in online electronic cigarette promotions and discussions: a scoping review protocol. [2023]

7. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Associations Between Exposure to The Real Cost Campaign, Pro-Tobacco Advertisements, and Tobacco Use Among Youth in the U.S. [2023]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Optimising messages and images for e-cigarette warnings. [2023]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

E-cigarette advertising expenditures in the USA, 2014-2018. [2021]

10. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Testing messages about comparative risk of electronic cigarettes and combusted cigarettes. [2020]

11. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Review of Evaluation Metrics Used in Digital and Traditional Tobacco Control Campaigns. [2021]