Evidence synthesis of effective e-cigarette prevention messages for adolescents and young adults: A scoping review

This scoping review aims to examine existing evidence regarding information design for youth e-cigarette prevention, identify research gaps, and provide recommendations for future research and practice. A comprehensive literature search was conducted from the inception of databases to April 2024 across six databases: Web of Science Core Collection (including MEDLINE), PubMed, Embase, Scopus, PsycINFO, and CNKI. Peer-reviewed articles related to information design for youth e-cigarette prevention were included based on eligibility criteria. Two reviewers independently screened articles, extracted data, and synthesized results following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were conducted in the United States (n=28) and employed quantitative methods (n=20). Gain-loss framing was the most commonly used theoretical framework. Three core themes in youth e-cigarette prevention information design were identified: emphasizing usage risks, optimizing presentation methods, and segmenting target audiences. Primary outcome measures included perceived message effectiveness (PME) and e-cigarette-related knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral intentions. Preliminary evidence provides guidance for youth e-cigarette prevention information design. Future research should evaluate message effectiveness across diverse populations, explore message customization strategies, assess behavioral outcomes, and strengthen theoretical foundations and applications.