Trial Outcomes & Findings for Can Exposure to Brief Messages Correct Misperceptions? (NCT NCT05129592)
NCT ID: NCT05129592
Last Updated: 2024-03-12
Results Overview
The extent to which participants agree or disagree with the following statement: The substance nicotine causes cancer. Response options are a continuous scale from 0 "I do not agree at all" to 100, "I completely agree."
Recruitment status
COMPLETED
Study phase
NA
Target enrollment
193 participants
Primary outcome timeframe
Baseline and up to 5 minutes after receiving the corrective message
Results posted on
2024-03-12
Participant Flow
Online recruitment began November 22, 2021 using Amazon Mechanical Turk. Funds to compensate participants were exhausted on November 23, 2021. An administrative delay in transferring funding created a delay in further recruitment, which was restarted on January 25, 2022 and was completed January 27, 2022.
Participant milestones
| Measure |
Nicotine Corrective Control
A factual message about nicotine that does not contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease or an explanation for why the misperception that nicotine causes cancer may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Causal Explanation
A factual message about nicotine that contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease: tar and chemicals created in tobacco smoke when tobacco is lit on fire.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Reason for Misperception
A factual message about nicotine that contains an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed: that health messaging often discuses nicotine and tobacco-caused disease at the same time and people incorrectly make the connection that nicotine causes cancer.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Both Components of Coherence
A factual message about nicotine that contains both a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease and an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Overall Study
STARTED
|
42
|
53
|
56
|
42
|
|
Overall Study
COMPLETED
|
42
|
53
|
56
|
42
|
|
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Reasons for withdrawal
Withdrawal data not reported
Baseline Characteristics
Can Exposure to Brief Messages Correct Misperceptions?
Baseline characteristics by cohort
| Measure |
Nicotine Corrective Control
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that does not contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease or an explanation for why the misperception that nicotine causes cancer may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Causal Explanation
n=53 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease: tar and chemicals created in tobacco smoke when tobacco is lit on fire.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Reason for Misperception
n=56 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed: that health messaging often discuses nicotine and tobacco-caused disease at the same time and people incorrectly make the connection that nicotine causes cancer.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Both Components of Coherence
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains both a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease and an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Total
n=193 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Age, Continuous
|
39.5 years
n=5 Participants
|
39 years
n=7 Participants
|
40 years
n=5 Participants
|
40.5 years
n=4 Participants
|
40 years
n=21 Participants
|
|
Sex: Female, Male
Female
|
27 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
22 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
30 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
16 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
95 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Sex: Female, Male
Male
|
15 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
31 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
26 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
26 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
98 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Non-Hispanic White
|
33 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
46 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
44 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
33 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
156 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Ethnic/racial minority
|
9 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
7 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
12 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
9 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
37 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
E-cigarette use
Current use (past 30-day use)
|
12 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
13 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
19 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
11 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
55 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
E-cigarette use
Ever use (not past 30 days)
|
24 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
32 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
29 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
24 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
109 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
E-cigarette use
Never use
|
6 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
8 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
8 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
7 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
29 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Self-reported very low nicotine cigarette use
Current use (past 30 days)
|
3 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
1 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
2 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
2 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
8 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Self-reported very low nicotine cigarette use
Ever use (not past 30 days)
|
5 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
7 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
9 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
7 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
28 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Self-reported very low nicotine cigarette use
Never use
|
34 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
45 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
45 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
33 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
157 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Smokeless tobacco use
Current use (past 30 days)
|
3 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
2 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
3 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
9 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Smokeless tobacco use
Ever use (not past 30 days)
|
13 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
25 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
20 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
17 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
75 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Smokeless tobacco use
Never use
|
26 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
26 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
35 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
22 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
109 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Nicotine replacement therapy use
Current use (past 30 days)
|
8 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
4 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
6 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
6 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
24 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Nicotine replacement therapy use
Ever use (not past 30 days)
|
16 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
20 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
23 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
15 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
74 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Nicotine replacement therapy use
Never use
|
18 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
29 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
27 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
21 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
95 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Cigarillo use
Current use (past 30 days)
|
5 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
10 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
7 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
9 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
31 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Cigarillo use
Ever use (not past 30 days)
|
19 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
26 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
28 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
24 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
97 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
|
Cigarillo use
Never use
|
18 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
17 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
21 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
9 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
65 Participants
n=21 Participants
|
PRIMARY outcome
Timeframe: Baseline and up to 5 minutes after receiving the corrective messageThe extent to which participants agree or disagree with the following statement: The substance nicotine causes cancer. Response options are a continuous scale from 0 "I do not agree at all" to 100, "I completely agree."
Outcome measures
| Measure |
Nicotine Corrective Control
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that does not contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease or an explanation for why the misperception that nicotine causes cancer may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Causal Explanation
n=53 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease: tar and chemicals created in tobacco smoke when tobacco is lit on fire.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Reason for Misperception
n=56 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed: that health messaging often discuses nicotine and tobacco-caused disease at the same time and people incorrectly make the connection that nicotine causes cancer.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Both Components of Coherence
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains both a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease and an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Change in Accuracy of Belief That Nicotine Causes Cancer
|
52.6 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 31.9
|
54.0 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 35.3
|
39.2 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 34.1
|
36.1 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 35.4
|
PRIMARY outcome
Timeframe: Baseline and up to 5 minutes after receiving the corrective message"The next questions are about electronic cigarettes. You may also know them as e-cigarettes, vapes, vape pens, mods, or by brand names like Juul, Suorin, SMOK, Fin, NJOY, Blu, e-Go, or Vuse. Some look like cigarettes, and others look like small boxes, pens, or pipes. From now on, we will refer to these products as e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes heat up a liquid to aerosolize it so people can inhale it. Although some e-liquid does not contain nicotine, we are only interested in e-cigarettes that DO contain nicotine. Please answer the following questions about e-cigarettes that contain nicotine." Response options are, "Much less harmful," "Somewhat less harmful," "Not less or more harmful," "Somewhat more harmful," "Much more harmful." Response options were dichotomized to low relative harm perceptions (much less harmful, somewhat less harmful) and high relative harm perceptions (much more harmful, somewhat more harmful, not less or more harmful).
Outcome measures
| Measure |
Nicotine Corrective Control
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that does not contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease or an explanation for why the misperception that nicotine causes cancer may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Causal Explanation
n=53 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease: tar and chemicals created in tobacco smoke when tobacco is lit on fire.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Reason for Misperception
n=56 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed: that health messaging often discuses nicotine and tobacco-caused disease at the same time and people incorrectly make the connection that nicotine causes cancer.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Both Components of Coherence
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains both a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease and an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Change in Relative Harm Beliefs Regarding E-cigarettes
Low relative harm perception
|
34 Participants
|
43 Participants
|
38 Participants
|
31 Participants
|
|
Change in Relative Harm Beliefs Regarding E-cigarettes
High relative harm perception
|
6 Participants
|
9 Participants
|
16 Participants
|
10 Participants
|
|
Change in Relative Harm Beliefs Regarding E-cigarettes
Missing
|
2 Participants
|
1 Participants
|
2 Participants
|
1 Participants
|
PRIMARY outcome
Timeframe: Baseline and up to 5 minutes after receiving the corrective messageParticipants will be shown a written description of NRT before answering questions about them: "The next questions are about nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). NRT is a medicine that is available as skin patches, chewing gum, nasal and oral sprays, inhalers, lozenges and tablets and delivers nicotine to the body. Nicotine replacement therapy is approved to help people quit smoking." Participants will also see a picture of these products with the description. Response options are, "Much less harmful," "Somewhat less harmful," "Not less or more harmful," "Somewhat more harmful," "Much more harmful." Response options were dichotomized to low relative harm perceptions (much less harmful, somewhat less harmful) and high relative harm perceptions (much more harmful, somewhat more harmful, not less or more harmful).
Outcome measures
| Measure |
Nicotine Corrective Control
n=41 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that does not contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease or an explanation for why the misperception that nicotine causes cancer may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Causal Explanation
n=52 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease: tar and chemicals created in tobacco smoke when tobacco is lit on fire.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Reason for Misperception
n=53 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed: that health messaging often discuses nicotine and tobacco-caused disease at the same time and people incorrectly make the connection that nicotine causes cancer.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Both Components of Coherence
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains both a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease and an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Change in Relative Harm Beliefs Regarding NRT
High relative harm perception
|
2 Participants
|
5 Participants
|
3 Participants
|
2 Participants
|
|
Change in Relative Harm Beliefs Regarding NRT
Low relative harm perception
|
39 Participants
|
47 Participants
|
50 Participants
|
40 Participants
|
PRIMARY outcome
Timeframe: Baseline and up to 5 minutes after receiving the corrective messageParticipants will be shown a written description of very low nicotine cigarettes before answering questions about them: "The next questions are about very low nicotine cigarettes. A very low nicotine cigarette is a tobacco cigarette that is still smoked but has the vast majority (95% or more) of the nicotine removed from it. The average regular cigarettes typically contains 12-13 mg of nicotine. A very low nicotine cigarette could have less than 1 mg of nicotine in it. Very low nicotine cigarettes do not contain enough nicotine to maintain a physiological addiction to nicotine. Quest and Moonlight are brands of very low nicotine cigarettes." Participants will also see a picture of these products with the description. Response options were dichotomized to low relative harm perceptions (much less harmful, somewhat less harmful) and high relative harm perceptions (much more harmful, somewhat more harmful, not less or more harmful).
Outcome measures
| Measure |
Nicotine Corrective Control
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that does not contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease or an explanation for why the misperception that nicotine causes cancer may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Causal Explanation
n=53 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease: tar and chemicals created in tobacco smoke when tobacco is lit on fire.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Reason for Misperception
n=56 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed: that health messaging often discuses nicotine and tobacco-caused disease at the same time and people incorrectly make the connection that nicotine causes cancer.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Both Components of Coherence
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains both a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease and an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Change in Relative Harm Beliefs Regarding Very Low Nicotine Cigarettes
Low relative harm perception
|
28 Participants
|
30 Participants
|
25 Participants
|
23 Participants
|
|
Change in Relative Harm Beliefs Regarding Very Low Nicotine Cigarettes
High relative harm perception
|
13 Participants
|
23 Participants
|
29 Participants
|
18 Participants
|
|
Change in Relative Harm Beliefs Regarding Very Low Nicotine Cigarettes
Missing
|
1 Participants
|
0 Participants
|
2 Participants
|
1 Participants
|
PRIMARY outcome
Timeframe: Baseline and up to 5 minutes after receiving the corrective messageParticipants will be shown a written description of smokeless tobacco before answering questions about them: "The next questions are about smokeless tobacco. Smokeless tobacco like chewing, oral, or spit tobacco come as loose leaves, plugs, or twists of dried tobacco that may be flavored. It's chewed or placed between the cheek and gum or teeth. The user spits out (or swallows) the saliva that has soaked through the tobacco. Dissolvables are another type of product that dissolves in the mouth and can be sold as lozenges, strips, or sticks. Nicotine is absorbed through the mouth tissues." Participants will also see a picture of these products with the description. Response options were dichotomized to low relative harm perceptions (much less harmful, somewhat less harmful) and high relative harm perceptions (much more harmful, somewhat more harmful, not less or more harmful).
Outcome measures
| Measure |
Nicotine Corrective Control
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that does not contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease or an explanation for why the misperception that nicotine causes cancer may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Causal Explanation
n=53 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease: tar and chemicals created in tobacco smoke when tobacco is lit on fire.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Reason for Misperception
n=56 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed: that health messaging often discuses nicotine and tobacco-caused disease at the same time and people incorrectly make the connection that nicotine causes cancer.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Both Components of Coherence
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains both a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease and an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Change in Inferential Beliefs Regarding Smokeless Tobacco
Low relative harm perception
|
17 Participants
|
32 Participants
|
22 Participants
|
26 Participants
|
|
Change in Inferential Beliefs Regarding Smokeless Tobacco
High relative harm perception
|
22 Participants
|
20 Participants
|
31 Participants
|
15 Participants
|
|
Change in Inferential Beliefs Regarding Smokeless Tobacco
Missing
|
3 Participants
|
1 Participants
|
3 Participants
|
1 Participants
|
PRIMARY outcome
Timeframe: Baseline and up to 5 minutes after receiving the corrective messageParticipants will be shown a written description of smokeless tobacco before answering questions about them: "The next questions are about cigarillos. Cigarillos look like small versions of traditional cigars, but can be bought in packages of one or two. Cigarillos smoke is often inhaled, unlike cigar smoke which is often held in the mouth and then released. Cigarillos are often flavored. Swisher Sweets, White Owl, and Dutch Masters are common cigarillo brands.." Participants will also see a picture of these products with the description. Response options were dichotomized to low relative harm perceptions (much less harmful, somewhat less harmful) and high relative harm perceptions (much more harmful, somewhat more harmful, not less or more harmful).
Outcome measures
| Measure |
Nicotine Corrective Control
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that does not contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease or an explanation for why the misperception that nicotine causes cancer may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Causal Explanation
n=53 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease: tar and chemicals created in tobacco smoke when tobacco is lit on fire.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
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Nicotine Corrective With Reason for Misperception
n=56 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed: that health messaging often discuses nicotine and tobacco-caused disease at the same time and people incorrectly make the connection that nicotine causes cancer.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
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Nicotine Corrective With Both Components of Coherence
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains both a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease and an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Change in Inferential Beliefs Regarding Cigarillos
Low relative harm perception
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6 Participants
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5 Participants
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6 Participants
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6 Participants
|
|
Change in Inferential Beliefs Regarding Cigarillos
High relative harm perception
|
33 Participants
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44 Participants
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49 Participants
|
35 Participants
|
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Change in Inferential Beliefs Regarding Cigarillos
Missing
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3 Participants
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4 Participants
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1 Participants
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1 Participants
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PRIMARY outcome
Timeframe: Baseline and up to 5 minutes after receiving the corrective messageThe extent to which participants agree or disagree with the following statement: I would consider completely switching to a tobacco product that is not lit on fire rather than continuing to smoke cigarettes. Response options are a continuous scale from 0 "I do not agree at all" to 100, "I completely agree."
Outcome measures
| Measure |
Nicotine Corrective Control
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that does not contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease or an explanation for why the misperception that nicotine causes cancer may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Causal Explanation
n=53 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contain a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease: tar and chemicals created in tobacco smoke when tobacco is lit on fire.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Reason for Misperception
n=56 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed: that health messaging often discuses nicotine and tobacco-caused disease at the same time and people incorrectly make the connection that nicotine causes cancer.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
Nicotine Corrective With Both Components of Coherence
n=42 Participants
A factual message about nicotine that contains both a causal explanation for what actually causes tobacco-caused disease and an explanation for why the misperception may have come to be believed.
Coherent corrective messages: Participants will be randomized to one of four message conditions: condition 1 will not contain either component of the coherence; condition 2 will contain one element of coherence (a causal explanation for why the corrective information is accurate); condition 3 will contain the other element of coherence (an explanation for why the misinformation came to be believed); condition 4 will include both elements of coherence.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Change in Beliefs About Intention to Switch Products
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60.6 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 30.3
|
53.5 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 36.4
|
56.4 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 34.3
|
57.9 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 34.4
|
Adverse Events
Nicotine Corrective Control
Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths
Nicotine Corrective With Causal Explanation
Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths
Nicotine Corrective With Reason for Misperception
Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths
Nicotine Corrective With Both Components of Coherence
Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths
Serious adverse events
Adverse event data not reported
Other adverse events
Adverse event data not reported
Additional Information
Caitlin Weiger
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Phone: 3017128357
Email: [email protected]
Results disclosure agreements
- Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
- Publication restrictions are in place