# Exploring effective characteristics of e-cigarette prevention videos among Chinese adolescents: A qualitative focus group study

## TL;DR

Chinese adolescents prefer e-cigarette prevention videos with real-life stories and specific health risks, rather than animations or lectures.

## Contribution

Identifies effective and ineffective features of e-cigarette prevention videos from Chinese adolescents' perspectives.

## Key findings

- Effective video features include authentic case studies and specific health hazards with visual impact.
- Fear appeals combined with factual information are impactful for prevention messaging.
- Ineffective features include animation formats and overly complex information.

## Abstract

The rapid proliferation of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among adolescents represents a significant public health challenge globally. This qualitative study explored adolescents’ perspectives on effective characteristics of e-cigarette prevention videos to inform evidence-based prevention strategies.

We conducted four focus groups with 40 middle-school students aged 13–15 years in 2021 in Beijing and Kunming, China. Using purposive sampling, we selected participants (n=40) from schools in cities with contrasting tobacco control environments. After viewing four international e-cigarette prevention videos varying in style and content, participants discussed perceived effective and ineffective characteristics. We employed Braun and Clarke’s six-phase reflexive thematic analysis approach, using NVivo 12 for data management.

Thematic analysis identified two main domains: effective and ineffective video characteristics. Effective features included authentic case studies demonstrating real consequences, specific health hazards with visual impact, disclosure of harmful chemical components, and appropriately disturbing imagery that created emotional response. Fear appeals and emotional narratives proved particularly impactful when combined with concrete information. Ineffective characteristics included animation formats, overly complex or vague information, didactic expert testimonials, and excessive video length (>2 minutes). Participants recommended that future videos incorporate real-life cases, specific health consequences, moderate fear appeals, and concise messaging within 1–3 minutes.

Chinese adolescents respond most effectively to prevention videos featuring authentic narratives and specific health consequences rather than animated or didactic content. The preference for fear appeals combined with factual information suggests that emotionally engaging yet informative content may optimize prevention effectiveness. These findings provide evidence for developing culturally appropriate e-cigarette prevention video development for Chinese youth, particularly given ongoing challenges in policy enforcement and youth access to e-cigarettes.