Measuring Efforts to Curb Teen Vaping in Idaho

A statewide teen survey for Idaho's KNOW VAPE educational initiative reveals encouraging early results in addressing the state's teen vaping epidemic. Research conducted by Rathbone Falvey found that while 21% of Idaho teens currently vape, those exposed to campaign messaging were significantly less likely to continue vaping. The study established critical baseline metrics and identified key demographic and regional patterns, leading to strategic refinements in campaign targeting, particularly for younger teens and female users who show higher rates of daily use. This data-driven approach demonstrates how targeted educational initiatives can help combat the evolving challenge of youth nicotine addiction.

Over the past two decades, the United States has seen a dramatic shift in youth tobacco use patterns.

Challenge
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‍The percentage of students who reported current frequent cigarette use increased from 12.7% in 1991 to 16.8% in 1999, declined to 9.7% in 2003, and then declined more gradually to 7.3% in 2009. (CDC, 2014) Tobacco companies adapted by introducing appealing e-cigarette products that have created a new public health crisis. Similar to how educational campaigns successfully reduced cigarette use among youth in previous generations, there is now an urgent need to understand current vaping behaviors, attitudes, and the effectiveness of prevention efforts.

In response to rising youth vaping rates despite declining traditional tobacco use, Idaho Public Television launched KNOW VAPE, a targeted educational initiative for adolescents across the state. The organization partnered with Rathbone Falvey Research to conduct a comprehensive study assessing multiple dimensions of the campaign's effectiveness, including awareness levels, message resonance, and content favorability among teens. Additionally, the investigation gathered critical data on current vaping behaviors, prevailing attitudes toward e-cigarette use, and significant regional and demographic variations in responses throughout Idaho's diverse communities, providing actionable insights for refining prevention methods and overall campaign strategy.

‍Approach

‍With expertise in youth-focused research, Rathbone Falvey Research employed their proven expertise in engaging adolescents—a notoriously difficult demographic to reach effectively. Their strategic approach included specialized recruitment techniques designed to capture authentic youth perspectives while maintaining rigorous ethical standards.

The team implemented a comprehensive parental permission protocol for minors, utilizing a multi-channel outreach strategy that balanced broad demographic representation with targeted sampling in underrepresented communities. This methodology ensured both statistical validity and a diverse participant pool that accurately reflected Idaho's teen population across urban and rural regions, socioeconomic backgrounds, and varying levels of media consumption—critical factors for evaluating the real-world impact of the KNOW VAPE campaign.

Rathbone Falvey Research conducted a quantitative study targeting Idaho teens aged 13-19. Their process involved meticulously crafting and finalizing a comprehensive survey instrument before strategic deployment to the target audience. The research methodology included:
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+ Digital survey collection from September 6th through October 18th, 2024
+ 630 complete responses across all regions of Idaho
+ 95% confidence interval with a 3.9% margin of error
+ Balanced demographic representation across age groups, gender, and ethnicity
+ Regional distribution aligned with Idaho population counts
+ Evaluation of campaign materials

Impact

‍The KNOW VAPE campaign has demonstrated measurable success in influencing teen vaping behaviors, but opportunities for education remain. With 1 in 5 Idaho teens (21%) currently vaping and more than 1 in 3 (38%) having tried vaping at least once, this research establishes a critical baseline that underscores the urgency of continued intervention and provides stakeholders with concrete metrics to assess future progress.The campaign's early impact is particularly promising given the challenging national context. While cigarette use among youth has declined dramatically nationwide over the past two decades, e-cigarette use has rapidly filled this gap, with 1.63 million American youth reporting current e-cigarette use in 2024. In Idaho specifically, the research revealed concerning patterns: 21% of teens are currently vaping, with usage rates varying significantly by region and demographic group. Among teens who have tried vaping, more than half (56%) continue the habit, highlighting the addictive nature of these products. The research finding that teens who recall the KNOW VAPE campaign are less likely to be current vapers (52% vs. 61% for those who don't recall it) validates the continued investment in targeted prevention messaging, with potential for significant long-term public health cost savings.

Age-targeted approach: The campaign has been recalibrated to focus more intensively on younger teens (13-16) before initial vaping experimentation, addressing the critical window of vulnerability identified in the research. This preventative approach addresses the finding that earlier initiation correlates with higher current usage rates.

Platform optimization: Message delivery has been refined for platforms with highest recall (YouTube and Instagram), while developing new content specifically addressing female teens who demonstrated both higher vaping rates (62% among girls who have tried vaping now vape daily compared to 52% of boys) and lower campaign relatability (48% of girls found the campaign relatable versus 65% of boys).

Regional customization: The campaign has developed region-specific messaging to address varying vaping rates and attitudes across Idaho's diverse geographic regions, with particular attention to the Southwest and South-Central regions where teens who have tried vaping are more likely to be current users (63% and 57% respectively).