The Longitudinal Impact of Seeing and Posting Tobacco-related Social Media on Tobacco Use Behaviors Among Youth (Aged 12-17): Findings From the 2014-2016 Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

Introduction: This study examined the impact of seeing and posting tobacco-related content on social media on tobacco use outcomes in youth.

Methods: Longitudinal secondary analyses of youth in the nationally representative 2014-2015 Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study were conducted to examine the association between the interaction of (i) seeing and (ii) posting tobacco-related social media content with previous ever use of each tobacco product, and 3 outcomes in 2015-2016: past 30-day e-cigarette use, past 30-day combustible product use, and past 30-day dual use of e-cigarettes and at least one combustible product. Six weighted multiple logistic regression models (2 interaction exposures*3 outcomes) were used to assess these associations, while adjusting for covariates.

Results: Among youth never users in 2014-2015, seeing tobacco-related social media content was significantly associated with past 30-day e-cigarette use (AOR 1.92; 95% CI= 1.36-2.71), and past 30-day dual use of e-cigarettes and at least one combustible product (AOR= 2.11; 95% CI= 1.08- 4.13) in 2015-2016. Among youth ever users in 2014-2015, posting tobacco-related content on social media was significantly associated with all 3 outcomes: past 30-day day e-cigarette use (AOR= 2.09;95%CI=1.23-3.55), past 30-day combustible product use (AOR=2.86; 95%CI=1.67-4.88), and past 30-day dual use of these products (AOR=3.02;95%CI=1.45-6.31), after adjusting for covariates.

Conclusions: Seeing and posting tobacco-related content on social media predicts tobacco use among youth, nationwide. Results suggest that interventions and policies prohibiting tobacco-related content on social media are needed to curb the impact of social media on youth tobacco-use.