Exposure to e-cigarette and heated tobacco product advertisements via digital, traditional media, and points-of-sale: An examination of associations with use intentions and perceived risk among adults in Armenia and Georgia

Introduction: E-cigarette and heated tobacco product (HTP) marketing often leverages digital media and points-of-sale (POS) and advertises risk reduction, including in Armenia and Georgia where male cigarette use rates are high.

Methods: Using 2022 survey data from Armenian and Georgian adults (n=1468, mean age=42.92 years, 51.4% female; and past-month use of e-cigarettes 3.2%, HTPs 2.7%, and cigarettes 31.6%), multivariable linear regression examined 4 outcomes - e-cigarette and HTP use intentions and perceived risk (1=not at all, to 7=extremely) - in relation to past-month e-cigarette or HTP advertisement exposure via digital media, traditional media, and POS, controlling for covariates (country, age, gender, education level, relationship status, children, past-month cigarette and e-cigarette/HTP use).

Results: E-cigarette and HTP use intentions were low (mean score=1.47, SD=1.39 each), while perceived risk was high (mean score=5.83, SD=1.6, and mean score=5.87, SD=1.56, respectively). Past-month exposure to e-cigarette and HTP advertisements, respectively, were 12.9% and 11.2% via digital media, 6.1% and 4.8% traditional media, and 22.5% and 21.1% POS. For e-cigarettes, ad exposure via digital media was associated with greater use intentions (β=0.24; 95% CI: 0.03-0.44), ad exposure via traditional media (β= -0.32; 95% CI: -0.55 - -0.09) and POS (β= -0.30; 95% CI: -0.60 - -0.004) was associated with lower risk perceptions. For HTPs, ad exposure via digital media (β=0.35; 95% CI: 0.14-0.56) and POS (β=0.21; 95% CI: 0.04-3.63) was associated with greater use intentions, and ad exposure at POS was associated with lower risk perceptions (β= -0.23; 95% CI: -0.42 - -0.03).

Conclusions: Tobacco control efforts should monitor and regulate e-cigarette and HTP marketing, particularly via digital media which may effectively promote use, and via POS which may target and influence risk perceptions.