Table 6.
Identified themes for nicotine and tobacco-risk communication in messages from the Texas-TCORS Library (N=976)
| Themes | N(%)a | M(SD)b | Examples of Messages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health | 734 (75) | 6.06 (5.06) | ‘Ppl who don’t use hookah help keep their lungs safe from infection since hookah pipes can be filled with fungi.’ ‘Don’t forget: smoking cigs while pregnant isn’t the only way to raise a baby’s risk of asthma. Another way to raise the baby’s risk is to be around secondhand smoke.’ |
| Body | 373 (38.22) | 2.54 (3.72) | ‘Hooray for healthy brains! Stronger disease-fighting systems protect ppl who don’t smoke cigs from brain-swelling infections. Go brain power! :)’ ‘Users have to worry about e-juice spills on the skin which can cause nasty heart problems. Using e-cigs means more risk of being poisoned! :(’ |
| Work and Marketing | 275 (28.18) | 1.74 (3.32) | ‘Consumers protect their health by ignoring attempts from tobacco companies to target them with concepts of “lighter” &/or “more natural” products.’ ‘Tobacco users lower their chances of getting a job. In Texas, there aren’t any laws to protect them from being denied work just because they use tobacco.’ |
| Leisure | 255 (26.05) | 1.82 (3.60) | ‘Social trends- here today, gone tomorrow but their effects can last much longer. Ppl help themselves by avoiding hookah bars & hanging out in smoke-free places.’ ‘Wondering why some college kids avoid hookah bars? They know that hookah is bad & are trying not to infect their lungs.’ |
| Money | 118 (12.05) | 0.65 (1.88) | ‘The main cause of lung disease is cig smoke. Each year lung disease causes millions of deaths, high health costs & work-force-losses.’ ‘Alternative” cigarettes, like bidis, are marketed as additive-free. Nonsmokers benefit by avoiding all cigarettes including “alternative” products.’ |
| Death | 34 (3.45) | 0.16 (0.86) | ‘Cigar use is estimated to cause approximately 9,000 premature deaths every year. That is almost 140,000 years of potential life lost annually.’ ‘Don’t be a loser at the game of life! The nicotine in e-juice refills can be deadly, so drinking it can lead to a fatal overdose. Play it safe! :(’ |
| Sexuality | 33 (3.38) | 0.17 (0.96) | ‘Snus, tobacco in a pouch held inside the mouth, poses greater risk to pregnancies. Pregnant women who use snus increase their risk of a preterm birth.’ ‘Unlike nonsmokers, male smokers increase their risk of erectile dysfunction by 30%. Smoking cigarettes increases the risk of developing this disorder.’ |
| Religion | 22 (2.25) | 0.09 (0.63) | ‘Using electronic cigarettes raises the intention of using conventional cigarettes because users create a demon of addiction that some subdue with conventional cigarettes. :(’ ‘Avoiding the scourge of secondhand smoke is a blessing for pregnant women! Mothers who avoid the toxic smoke of cigarettes are able to enjoy a healthier and happier baby. :)’ |
a
Indicates sample size and percentage of text messages identified under the theme.
b
Indicates mean frequency of words depicting the theme and standard deviation. Words in italics are identified by LIWC under the theme in question.