Harm perceptions and tobacco use initiation among youth in Wave 1 and 2 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a scientific study on the relationship between harm perceptions and tobacco use initiation among youth in the United States. The study analyzed data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, which surveyed youth who completed both Wave 1 and Wave 2 interviews. The study aimed to assess trends in perceived harm and addictiveness of tobacco products, how these perceptions predict trying a product for the first time, and how trying a product for the first time affects these perceptions.

Key Points:

* The study found that perceived harmfulness and addictiveness of tobacco products significantly increased between Wave 1 and Wave 2 for all products.
* Compared to those with high perceived harmfulness of a tobacco product at Wave 1, those with low and medium perceived harmfulness had a significantly increased probability of using that product at Wave 2.
* Youth who tried a product between Waves 1 and 2 had a significantly higher probability of being in the low category of perceived harmfulness at Wave 2.
* The study controlled for demographic differences in age, sex, and race/ethnicity.
* The study analyzed data from the PATH Study, which used audio computer-assisted self-interviews available in English and Spanish.
* The study analyzed data from youth aged 12 to 17 who completed both Wave 1 and Wave 2 interviews.
* The study analyzed five tobacco products: cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, hookah, and smokeless tobacco.

Main Message:
The study suggests that there is a bidirectional relationship between harm perceptions and tobacco use initiation among youth. Youth with lower perceived harmfulness and addictiveness of tobacco products have a higher probability of trying these products for the first time. Additionally, trying a product for the first time may lead to lower perceived harmfulness and addictiveness of that product. Therefore, promoting accurate harm perceptions of tobacco products may be an effective strategy for preventing tobacco use initiation among youth.

Strong, David R., Eric Leas, Tara Elton-Marshall, Olivia A. Wackowski, Mark Travers, Maansi Bansal-Travers, Andrew Hyland, et al. “Harm Perceptions and Tobacco Use Initiation among Youth in Wave 1 and 2 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.” Preventive Medicine 123 (June 2019): 185–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.03.017.