Pitt researchers find compelling TV helps teens understand dangers of vaping
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Students at Arsenal Middle School and Pitt researchers found compelling TV can help teenagers understand the dangers of vaping.
The researchers showed the students clips from the shows Grey's Anatomy, Chicago Med, and New Amsterdam, and each episode featured a storyline with an adolescent character hospitalized with a lung injury due to e-cigarette usage.
Researchers then asked the kids open-ended questions about the storylines and vaping.
"What we found is that students were engaged, a lot of discussions," said Beth Hoffman, Ph.D., and Pitt social scientist. "Tobacco companies advertising to young people and what they were seeing on social media, suggesting these clips could be very useful for health educators who are trying to open up dialogue and educate young people about vaping."
Many students said it was more effective than DARE and that sometimes, you have to see the danger to really believe.