Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science on Youth and Young Adults (UT TCORS)
Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science on Youth and Young Adults (UT TCORS)
Principal Investigator: Cheryl L. Perry
Funding Mechanism: National Institutes of Health - TCORS Grant
ID number: 1P50CA180906-01
Award Date: 9/19/2013
Institution: University of Texas
The Center’s activities will focus on the epidemiology of tobacco use among youth and young adults (particularly with regard to alternative, new, and emerging tobacco products), how tobacco products are marketed to this population, the effect of marketing on youth and young adult tobacco use, and how communication programs can be implemented to educate young adults about the harms of tobacco use. Project 1 will establish a rapid-response surveillance system that will provide information about the diversity of tobacco products youth (12-17 years old) use (including flavored tobacco products of all kinds as well as other tobacco products, like cigars) and the impact of tobacco product marketing on use behaviors. Semi-annual surveys will assess a broad range of tobacco use behaviors, cognitive and affective factors specific to these behaviors, and self-reported exposure and receptivity to tobacco marketing. Audits of the tobacco marketing environment at point-of-sale and in print media (e.g., magazines) will provide objective data. Project 2 will establish a similar surveillance system among college students, including those with lower socioeconomic status. Project 3 will develop an innovative mobile phone text messaging system to educate young adults about the risks associated with tobacco use and tobacco product constituents; this project will assess awareness, attitudes, receptivity, and comprehension regarding the harmful effects of conventional, new and emerging tobacco products, and will compare the efficacy of different types of text messages for different types of tobacco products.
Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science on Youth and Young Adults (TCORS) Related Resources
- Additional Information can be found at the National Institute of Health
- Project 1: The Texas Adolescent Tobacco and Marketing Surveillance Study (TATAMS)
- Project 2: Tobacco Marketing and Alternative Tobacco Use among College Students
- Project 3: Informing and Correcting Perceptions Regarding Tobacco Products in Young Adults
- The original scientific abstract and other project information can be found on the NIH website