Optimizing Risk Messages for Waterpipe Tobacco Cessation in Young Adults

The purpose of this study is to test the effects of messages communicating the risks (i.e.,
health harms, addictiveness) of hookah tobacco delivered via mobile multimedia messaging for
promoting hookah tobacco cessation. The study will also compare two messaging approaches, a
standard untailored approach where all participants receive the same message content, and a
tailored messaging approach where message content is personalized to baseline measures of
hookah tobacco use behavior and beliefs and interactively to exchanges that occur via mobile
messaging sent and received during the exposure period. The study includes young adults ages
18 to 30 who are current hookah tobacco smokers. Eligible participants are young adults ages
18 to 30 years who have smoked hookah tobacco at least once in the past month, smoke hookah
tobacco on at least a monthly basis, and have access to the internet and a personal mobile
phone to complete study procedures. Study participants will complete a baseline survey
online, and all participants will receive standard information about the risks of hookah
tobacco. Then participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: control group,
untailored message group, tailored message group. Participants in the untailored and tailored
message group will receive messages sent to their mobile phones communicating the risks of
hookah tobacco for a 6 week period. All participants will complete follow-up surveys online 6
weeks after baseline, 3 months later, and 6 months later.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Age between 18 and 30

- Smoked hookah tobacco within the last 30 days and smokes hookah tobacco on at least a
monthly basis

- Has access the internet to complete study procedures

- Has personal mobile phone to complete study procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

- Age less than 18 or greater than 30

- Has not smoked hookah tobacco in the last 30 days or does not smoke hookah tobacco on
at least a monthly basis

- Does not have access to the internet to complete study procedures

- Does not have a personal mobile phone to complete study procedures