title: Using Market Research to Characterize College Students and Identify Potential Targets for Influencing Health Behaviors.
abstract: Marketing campaigns, such as those developed by the tobacco industry, are based on market research, which defines segments of a population by assessing psychographic characteristics (i.e., attitudes, interests). This study uses a similar approach to define market segments of college smokers, to examine differences in their health behaviors (smoking, drinking, binge drinking, exercise, diet), and to determine the validity of these segments. A total of 2,265 undergraduate students aged 18-25 years completed a 108-item online survey in fall 2008 assessing demographic, psychographic (i.e., attitudes, interests), and health-related variables. Among the 753 students reporting past 30-day smoking, cluster analysis was conducted using 21 psychographic questions and identified three market segments - Stoic Individualists, Responsible Traditionalists, and Thrill-Seeking Socializers. We found that segment membership was related to frequency of alcohol use, binge drinking, and limiting dietary fat. We then developed three messages targeting each segment and conducted message testing to validate the segments on a subset of 73 smokers representing each segment in spring 2009. As hypothesized, each segment indicated greater relevance and salience for their respective message. These findings indicate that identifying qualitatively different subgroups of young adults through market research may inform the development of engaging interventions and health campaigns targeting college students.
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia, is a clinical psychologist with research experience in multiple health risk behaviors, tobacco control, and social marketing, focusing on youth.
authors.forename: Carla J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.affiliation: Associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, California, conducts research on tobacco industry documents utilizing this information to inform the development of cessation interventions among young adults.
authors.forename: Pamela M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor, Division of Biostatistics and Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a biostatistician with expertise in cluster analysis and survival analysis.
authors.forename: Hongfei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Chair and professor, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia, focuses his research on the development of substance abuse and mental health disorders, particularly focusing on adolescent and young adulthood.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Windle
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a clinical psychologist focusing her research on smoking cessation and secondhand smoke exposure.
authors.forename: Janet L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Director of the Center of Health Equity and professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, focuses his research on health disparities, randomized clinical trials, health behaviors, tobacco control, and smoking cessation.
authors.forename: Jasjit S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ahluwalia
authors.affiliation: Associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, conducts research on the increasing access to smoking cessation services with a particular interest in promoting smoking cessation and healthy lifestyles among youth.
authors.forename: Lawrence C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: An