Novel Tobacco Products

The tobacco market has been rapidly transitioning to newer products like e-cigarettes, snus and dissolvables, and to alternative tobacco products like cigarillos and little cigars. Understanding consumers’ use of these products, and their knowledge of the risk of that use, is a goal of “Conducting Consumer Behavior, Risk Perception and Media Research on Novel Tobacco Products.”

This project, led by Principal Investigator Michael Eriksen, Dean of the School of Public Health at Georgia State University, features survey and focus group research targeting a nationally representative sample of adults aged 18 and over. A multi-disciplinary team including public health, research and communications experts will target current tobacco product practices and risk perceptions through quantitative and qualitative research instruments. Questions will focus on patterns of use and perceptions of the risk of novel and alternative tobacco products, addressing areas such as product awareness, understanding of harm and addiction, and in-depth risk perception assessment.

Based upon research findings, the project team then will develop and test traditional and new media messages to improve the quality and accuracy of tobacco consumers’ risk perceptions. These media messages can then inform the development of future FDA strategic communication efforts with respect to emerging novel and alternative products.

 

 

Kymberle L. Sterling, DrPH. Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, Georgia State University
Paul Slovic, PhD. President, Decision Research
Scott Weaver, PhD. Dir. of Data and Research Services, Center of Excellence, Georgia State University
Terry Pechacek, PhD. Professor and Interim Director, Division of Health Management and Policy, Georgia State University