Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation, University of Macau, Macau, China.
Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation / Center for Research in Greater Bay Area, University of Macau, Macau, China.
BMC Public Health. 2024 May 10;24(1):1278. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-18756-8.
The popularity of e-cigarettes is on the rise among current cigarette users. Therefore, there are concerns about their health implications. This study examined the impact of health-related social media use on e-cigarette use among current cigarette users. It assesses the mediating influence of online anti-tobacco messages and the moderating role of the harm perception of e-cigarettes.
This study was focused on 563 current cigarette users from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Three tasks were performed: (1) assessing the direct and indirect impacts of health-related social media use on e-cigarette use among current cigarette users, (2) exploring the mediating role of exposure to online anti-tobacco messages, and (3) examining the moderating influence of e-cigarette harm perception on the path from anti-tobacco messages to e-cigarette use.
Health-related social media use was positively associated with current cigarette users' e-cigarette use directly (bp = 0.183, p < .01) and indirectly through exposure to online anti-tobacco messages (bp = 0.023, 95% CI: [0.001, 0.051]). Harm perception of e-cigarettes moderated the relationship between online exposure to anti-tobacco messages and e-cigarette use (bp=-0.467, p < .01). The relationship appeared weaker for individuals who perceived greater harm from e-cigarettes.
Health-related social media use positively correlates with e-cigarette use among current cigarette users through exposure to online anti-tobacco messages. The perceived harm of e-cigarettes moderates this indirect path. These findings have implications for public health interventions aimed at smoking cessation.
电子烟在当前吸烟者中的普及度正在上升，因此人们对其健康影响表示担忧。本研究考察了与健康相关的社交媒体使用对当前吸烟者电子烟使用的影响，评估了在线反烟草信息的中介作用以及电子烟危害感知的调节作用。
本研究专注于 2022 年健康信息国家趋势调查（HINTS）中的 563 名当前吸烟者。完成了三项任务：（1）评估与健康相关的社交媒体使用对当前吸烟者电子烟使用的直接和间接影响；（2）探索在线反烟草信息暴露的中介作用；（3）检验电子烟危害感知对反烟草信息到电子烟使用路径的调节作用。
与健康相关的社交媒体使用与当前吸烟者的电子烟使用呈正相关，直接相关（bp=0.183，p<.01），通过在线接触反烟草信息间接相关（bp=0.023，95%置信区间：[0.001，0.051]）。电子烟危害感知调节了在线接触反烟草信息与电子烟使用之间的关系（bp=-0.467，p<.01）。对于那些感知电子烟危害更大的个体，这种关系似乎较弱。
与健康相关的社交媒体使用通过在线接触反烟草信息与当前吸烟者的电子烟使用呈正相关。电子烟的感知危害调节了这种间接路径。这些发现对旨在戒烟的公共卫生干预措施具有重要意义。
