title: Affecting perceptions of harm and addiction among college waterpipe tobacco smokers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The spread of waterpipe tobacco use among youth may be due in part to perceptions that waterpipe tobacco use is safer than other tobacco products, such as cigarettes. In two pilot studies, we sought to modify college waterpipe smokers' perceived risks and worry about waterpipe tobacco smoking.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted two web-based studies that varied whether college waterpipe users received information on (a) spread of and use of flavored tobacco in waterpipe and (b) harms of waterpipe smoking. Study 1 (N = 91) tested the "incremental" effects on perceptions of risk and worry of adding information about harms of waterpipe smoking to information on the spread of waterpipe and use of flavorings in the tobacco. Study 2 (N = 112) tested the effects on perceptions of risk and worry of reviewing information about harms of waterpipe smoking compared to a no information control group. In Study 1 only, we assessed as part of a 6-month follow-up (n = 70) the percentage of participants who reported no longer using waterpipe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pooling data from both studies, participants who received information about the harms of waterpipe smoking reported greater perceived risk and worry about harm and addiction and expressed a stronger desire to quit. In Study 1, 62% of participants in the experimental group versus 33% in the control group reported having stopped waterpipe use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These are the first studies to show that perceptions of addiction and harm from waterpipe use can be modified using minimally intensive interventions; such interventions show promise at decreasing waterpipe use.
authors.affiliation: Duke University School of Nursing, 307 Trent Dr., Durham, NC 27710, USA. Isaac.Lipkus@Duke.edu
authors.forename: Isaac M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Lipkus
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eissenberg
authors.forename: Rochelle D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Schwartz-Bloom
authors.forename: Alexander V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Prokhorov
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016739:Behavior, Addictive; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods; D013334:Students; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder; D055815:Young Adult