Chen Yu, Chen Jinhui, Wang Ziliang, Zhao Xinjie, Gao Rong, Cai Yujiang, Liu Shiyu, Xu Jing, Chen Si
School of Art and Communication, Fujian Polytechnic Normal University, Fuzhou, China.
Fujian Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, China.
Tob Induc Dis. 2025 Jul 1;23. doi: 10.18332/tid/205839. eCollection 2025.
While video-based prevention campaigns show promise in addressing the rising e-cigarette use among youth, little is known about what makes such videos effective from children's perspectives, particularly in China's cultural context. This study aimed to investigate which video content elements could be effective in preventing e-cigarette use among children, providing evidence-based guidance for developing e-cigarette prevention materials and information design targeting children.
Using purposive sampling, we conducted four gender-stratified focus groups with 35 primary school students (aged 12-13 years) in Beijing and Yunnan. Participants watched four stimulus videos with different messaging approaches and discussed their perceptions of effective and ineffective features. Focus group discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis with NVivo software.
Children identified several key features that enhanced prevention effectiveness -most prominently, explicit specific health consequences and testimonials were mentioned by a majority of participants - along with chemical component, maternal love, and emotional appeals (particularly fear). Visual elements like dynamic animations and medical expert appearances strengthened message credibility. Ineffective features included overly complex explanations, perceived inauthenticity, and news-style reporting. Notably, while some participants reported discomfort with fear-based appeals, they demonstrated high recall of these message elements.
This study provides novel insights into developing appropriate e-cigarette prevention videos for children. Findings suggest that effective videos should combine authentic testimonials with clear health risk information, appropriate fear appeals, and engaging visual elements while avoiding overly complex or news-style presentations. These insights can guide the development of more effective youth-focused e-cigarette prevention communication strategies.
虽然基于视频的预防活动在应对青少年电子烟使用量上升方面显示出前景，但从儿童的角度来看，对于哪些因素能使此类视频有效，尤其是在中国文化背景下，我们知之甚少。本研究旨在调查哪些视频内容元素在预防儿童使用电子烟方面可能有效，为开发针对儿童的电子烟预防材料和信息设计提供循证指导。
采用目的抽样法，我们在北京和云南对35名小学生（12 - 13岁）进行了四个按性别分层的焦点小组访谈。参与者观看了四个采用不同信息传达方式的刺激视频，并讨论了他们对有效和无效特征的看法。焦点小组讨论进行了录音、转录，并使用NVivo软件进行主题分析。
儿童确定了几个增强预防效果的关键特征——最突出的是，大多数参与者提到了明确的具体健康后果和推荐——还有化学成分、母爱和情感诉求（特别是恐惧）。动态动画和医学专家露面等视觉元素增强了信息的可信度。无效特征包括过于复杂的解释、感知到的不真实性和新闻式报道。值得注意的是，虽然一些参与者表示对基于恐惧的诉求感到不适，但他们对这些信息元素的记忆度很高。
本研究为为儿童开发合适的电子烟预防视频提供了新的见解。研究结果表明，有效的视频应将真实的推荐与清晰的健康风险信息、适当的恐惧诉求和引人入胜的视觉元素相结合，同时避免过于复杂或新闻式的呈现方式。这些见解可以指导制定更有效的以青少年为重点的电子烟预防传播策略。
