142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Home Events & Meetings Annual Meeting Schedule & Program

Online Program

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

309949
Trial of Dissolvable Tobacco Products by Young Adults in Three Test Markets

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Sunday, November 16, 2014

Mark Wolfson, PhD , Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
Eun-Young Song, PhD , Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
Jessica Pockey, MPH , N.A., West Chester, PA
Erin L. Sutfin, PhD , Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
Kimberly G. Wagoner, DrPH, MPH , Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
Beth A. Reboussin, PhD , Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
John Spangler, M.D. , Family Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
Background:  Starting in 2009, U.S. tobacco companies have been test marketing dissolvable tobacco products (DTPs), including sticks, strips, and orbs, in selected U.S. cities and states.  No published studies have examined awareness, appeal, and use of these products in test markets.

Methods:  We used an address-based sampling approach to survey 5,105 young adults, aged 18-35, in the three test markets for DTPs being used by two major U.S. tobacco companies in 2013.  Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify correlates of trial of DTPs. 

Results:  Awareness of DTPs was low, with only 17% of young adults in the test markets reporting that they had heard of any of the DTPs available for sale in their area.  16% reported that they definitely or probably would try a free sample of DTPs, if offered.  Only 2% of the sample reported that they had tried one or more of the DTPs.  Statistically significant correlates of trial included male gender (OR=1.86), current cigarette use (OR=5.03), lifetime chewing tobacco use (OR=1.91), lifetime Snus use (OR=9.07), and self-reported exposure to advertisement for DTPs (OR=21.39).

Conclusion:  Young adults in 3 test markets had low rates of awareness, interest in trying a free sample, and actual trial of DTPs.  Higher rates of trial were found among males and users of other smokeless tobacco products and of cigarettes.  It is unclear whether tobacco companies will release DTPs nationally, given low levels of uptake and interest in test markets.

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Epidemiology
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe rates and correlates of trial of dissolvable tobacco products by young adults in test markets

Keyword(s): Tobacco Use, Tobacco Control

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am doctorally trained in social science (sociology), and have conducted research on tobacco and alcohol use among youth and young adults, as well as the impact of prevention policy and programs, for over 20 years. I have been PI of multiple research studies on tobacco funded by the National Institutes of Health, including the study that provided the data for this abstract.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 2052.0: Other Tobacco Products: Hookah, Cigars, and Snus - Oh My!