Changes in Recall to E-Cigarette Advertisement Exposure among Florida Youth, 2016–2019

Abstract

Introduction

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported increases in exposure to e-cigarette ads among US middle and high school students from 2014–2016. This study examines changes in exposure to e-cigarette ads by source among youth in Florida. Methods: We analyzed Florida Youth Tobacco Survey (FYTS) data from 2016–2019 (n = 149,407). We calculated the weighted prevalence of exposure to ads by source (on radio, TV, internet, billboards/outdoor signs, or magazines/newspapers) across years and tested differences in prevalence from 2016–2019. We used logistic regression to examine the changes from 2016–2019 and further conducted multivariable logistic regression to examine the likelihood of past-30-day e-cigarette ad recall as a function of sociodemographics, tobacco use among family members, and current use of tobacco products. Results: Exposure to any type of e-cigarette ads decreased significantly from 2016 (weighted, 55.4%, 95% CI = 54.7, 56.1) to 2018 (47.3%, 95% CI = 46.6, 48.1), but rebounded in 2019 (57.0%, 95% CI = 55.7, 58.4). In multivariable logistic models, the following correlates were consistently associated with higher past-30-day exposure to any source of e-cigarette ads: survey year of 2019 (vs. 2016), being a high school (vs. middle school) student, female (vs. male), current use of e-cigarettes, current other tobacco use, and having a family member who uses tobacco. Conclusion: These findings suggest the need for continued surveillance of e-cigarette marketing practices and policies to prevent youth exposure to e-cigarette ads.

Keywords:

• Tobacco marketing
• tobacco advertisement
• e-cigarettes
• youth

Acknowledgements

The Florida Youth Tobacco Survey data used in this report were collected by the Florida Department of Health (DOH). The views expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the DOH.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Funding

Florida Department of Health Grant #9JK05.

Data availability statement

The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the Florida Department of Health on request: http://www.floridahealth.gov/statistics-and-data/survey-data/florida-youth-survey/florida-youth-tobacco-survey/index.html