Effects of Narratives on Demand for Low and High Ventilated Cigarettes and Substitution for Alternative Products
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Enrollment
- 89
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Nicotine/Tobacco Products Substitution Intercept
Study Overview
Brief Summary
This study will investigate the effects of narratives on demand for low and high ventilated cigarettes and substitution for alternative products in the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace.
Detailed Description
An important aim of tobacco control is to reduce demand for the most harmful products. One product feature that could be changed to benefit public health is cigarette filter ventilation. A recent review examined the effects of cigarette filter ventilation and concluded that filter ventilation, by changing how a cigarette burns, yields more mutagens and carcinogens, and results in greater puff volume and possibly depth of inhalation, which has led to increases in peripheral lung adenocarcinomas. This study will use a novel method, the Experimental Tobacco Marketplace (ETM), to compare the impact of a narrative and a factsheet on the negative consequences of filter ventilation on tobacco product purchases. High-ventilated cigarette smokers will complete multiple scenarios in the ETM.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Crossover
- Primary Purpose
- Basic Science
- Masking
- Single (Participant)
Masking Description
Participants will be provided with study cigarettes (commercially available) however the brand will not be provided to them.
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 21 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •Provide informed consent
- •Be at least 21 years of age or older
- •Provide a breath sample for measuring carbon monoxide (CO ≥ 8 ppm)
- •Stable tobacco use patterns for at least three months
- •Be willing to sample the study cigarettes (high- and low-ventilated cigarettes)
- •Report smoking a high-ventilated cigarette (>= 20% ventilation)
- •Report smoking at least 10 cigarettes per day
Exclusion Criteria
- •Have plans to move out of the area
- •Have a serious or unstable physical or mental health condition
- •Taking a tobacco cessation medication or medication that interferes with nicotine metabolism, motivation or reinforcement
- •Report concrete, immediate plans to alter/quit using their usual nicotine products at the beginning of the study
- •Note: Participants may be withdrawn from the study after providing consent if they submit an invalid breath sample (CO ≥ 8 ppm).
Arms & Interventions
Narratives
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be exposed to a narrative about the negative consequences of smoking ventilated cigarettes and all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: Low- and high-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price (Behavioral)
Narratives
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be exposed to a narrative about the negative consequences of smoking ventilated cigarettes and all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: High-ventilated cigarette alone (Behavioral)
Narratives
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be exposed to a narrative about the negative consequences of smoking ventilated cigarettes and all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: Low-ventilated cigarette alone (Behavioral)
Narratives
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be exposed to a narrative about the negative consequences of smoking ventilated cigarettes and all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: High- and low-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price (Behavioral)
Narratives
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be exposed to a narrative about the negative consequences of smoking ventilated cigarettes and all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: Usual, high- and low-ventilated cigarette with usual cigarettes increasing in price. (Behavioral)
Fact sheet
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be exposed to fact sheet about the negative consequences of smoking ventilated cigarettes and all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: High-ventilated cigarette alone (Behavioral)
Fact sheet
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be exposed to fact sheet about the negative consequences of smoking ventilated cigarettes and all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: Low-ventilated cigarette alone (Behavioral)
Fact sheet
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be exposed to fact sheet about the negative consequences of smoking ventilated cigarettes and all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: High- and low-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price (Behavioral)
Fact sheet
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be exposed to fact sheet about the negative consequences of smoking ventilated cigarettes and all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: Low- and high-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price (Behavioral)
Fact sheet
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be exposed to fact sheet about the negative consequences of smoking ventilated cigarettes and all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: Usual, high- and low-ventilated cigarette with usual cigarettes increasing in price. (Behavioral)
Control
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be not be exposed to any messages and will complete all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: High-ventilated cigarette alone (Behavioral)
Control
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be not be exposed to any messages and will complete all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: Low-ventilated cigarette alone (Behavioral)
Control
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be not be exposed to any messages and will complete all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: High- and low-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price (Behavioral)
Control
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be not be exposed to any messages and will complete all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: Low- and high-ventilated cigarette with high-ventilated cigarettes increasing in price (Behavioral)
Control
High-ventilated cigarette smokers will be not be exposed to any messages and will complete all of the conditions described in the intervention section.
Intervention: Usual, high- and low-ventilated cigarette with usual cigarettes increasing in price. (Behavioral)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Nicotine/Tobacco Products Substitution Intercept
Time Frame: 1 day
Participants completed purchasing trials in an Experimental Tobacco Marketplace (ETM), where cigarette prices increased (type varied by condition) while other product prices remained at market value. The extent to which other nicotine/tobacco products substituted for usual, high-, and low-ventilated cigarettes was assessed. The quantity of products purchased in the ETM was converted to milligrams (mg) of nicotine to standardize the unit of measurement across products. The data reflect the relationship between nicotine purchased (mg; y-axis) and cigarette price (x-axis). To obtain estimates of substitution of price-constant products in the different ETM conditions, the investigators used ordinary least squares regression to predict total mg of nicotine purchased of the price constant product. Y-intercept of price-constant products is reported.
Cigarette Demand Intensity q0
Time Frame: 1 day
Participants completed purchasing trials in an Experimental Tobacco Marketplace (ETM), where cigarette prices increased (type varied by condition) while other product prices remained at market value. The extent to which other nicotine/tobacco products substituted for usual, high-, and low-ventilated cigarettes was assessed. The quantity of products purchased in the ETM was converted to milligrams (mg) of nicotine to standardize the unit of measurement across products. The data reflect the relationship between nicotine purchased (mg; y-axis) and cigarette price (x-axis). Demand was estimated using the exponential equation: Q = Q0 \* 10\^k(exp(-αQ0C) - 1), where Q is nicotine purchased (mg), C is price, Q0 is demand intensity (purchases at no cost), k is the function's logarithmic span, and α is demand elasticity. Intensity q0 is reported, which represents the estimated mg of nicotine purchased when cigarettes are free (price = 0).
Nicotine/Tobacco Products Substitution Slope
Time Frame: 1 day
Participants completed purchasing trials in an Experimental Tobacco Marketplace (ETM), where cigarette prices increased (type varied by condition) while other product prices remained at market value. The extent to which other nicotine/tobacco products substituted for usual, high-, and low-ventilated cigarettes was assessed. The quantity of products purchased in the ETM was converted to milligrams (mg) of nicotine to standardize the unit of measurement across products. The data reflect the relationship between nicotine purchased (mg; y-axis) and cigarette price (x-axis). To obtain estimates of substitution of price-constant products in the different ETM conditions, the investigators used ordinary least squares regression to predict total mg of nicotine purchased of the price-constant product. Slope of price-constant products is reported, which represents the change in mg of nicotine purchased of price-constant products divided by the change in cigarette price.
Cigarette Demand Elasticity Alpha
Time Frame: 1 day
Participants completed purchasing trials in an Experimental Tobacco Marketplace (ETM), where cigarette prices increased (type varied by condition) while other product prices remained at market value. The extent to which other nicotine/tobacco products substituted for usual, high-, and low-ventilated cigarettes was assessed. The quantity of products purchased in the ETM was converted to milligrams (mg) of nicotine to standardize the unit of measurement across products. The data reflect the relationship between nicotine purchased (mg; y-axis) and cigarette price (x-axis). Demand was estimated using the exponential equation: Q = Q0 \* 10\^k(exp(-αQ0C) - 1), where Q is nicotine purchased (mg), C is price, Q0 is demand intensity (purchases at no cost), k is the function's logarithmic span, and α is demand elasticity. Elasticity alpha is reported, which represents the sensitivity of purchasing to changes in cigarette price.
Secondary Outcomes
No secondary outcomes reported
Investigators
Roberta Freitas-Lemos
Professor
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University