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Protocol - Tobacco Product Adulteration - Vent or Filter Blocking

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Description

The Kozlowski et al. interviewer-administered protocol consists of eight fixed-response questions and one open-ended question asking respondents whether they currently or have ever used filter or vent blocked cigarettes and their perceptions of the effects of doing so.

Specific Instructions

If the respondent answers "yes" to question 1, the interviewer will proceed to questions 2-8.

Availability

Available

Protocol

Questions about cigarette filter ventilation.

1. Have you ever seen or heard that one or more rings of small holes are on the filters of some cigarettes?

1 [ ] yes

2 [ ] no

[ ] don’t know

2. How do you know about these holes?

[ ] Saw them

[ ] Read about them in the news or magazine

[ ] Someone told me

[ ] Saw a television advertisement about them

[ ] Saw or heard a news report about them

[ ] Other

[ ] Don’t Know

[ ] Refused

3. Did you ever try to block the filter holes on cigarettes?

1 [ ] yes

2 [ ] no

[ ] don’t know

4. How did you block the filter holes?

5. At the present time do you block holes when you smoke?

1 [ ] yes

2 [ ] no

[ ] don’t know

6. Do you think that blocking filter holes would make a cigarette taste stronger, milder, or have no effect?

[ ] a lot stronger

[ ] moderately stronger

[ ] a little stronger

[ ] no effect

[ ] a little milder

[ ] moderately milder

[ ] a lot milder

[ ] don’t know

7. Do you think that blocking filter holes would increase, decrease, or have no effect on the tar a smoker gets from these cigarettes?

[ ] greatly increase

[ ] moderately increase

[ ] slightly increase

[ ] no effect

[ ] slightly decrease

[ ] moderately decrease

[ ] greatly decrease

[ ] don’t know

8. Do you think that blocking filter holes would increase, decrease, or have no effect on the nicotine a smoker gets form these cigarettes?

[ ] greatly increase

[ ] moderately increase

[ ] slight increase

[ ] no effect

[ ] slightly decrease

[ ] moderately decrease

[ ] greatly decrease

[ ] don’t know

Analyses:

Responses to the last three questions were recoded in the following manner: those who responded "no effect," "a little milder," "moderately milder," "a lot milder," or "don’t know" to the question regarding the effect of blocking on cigarette taste, for example, were classified as being "unaware." Similarly, those participants who responded "no effect," "slightly decrease," "moderately decrease," "greatly decrease," or "don’t know" to the questions regarding the effect of blocking on tar and nicotine yields were also classified as being "unaware."

Response percentages were calculated within each brand category, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Between-group tests were done using analyses of variance with Bonferroni adjustments for comparisons or with X2 analyses.30 Within-group comparisons were done with paired t tests. Multiple regression analyses (ordinary least squares, linear probability model) were used to explore predictors of knowledge of vents (scored 1 = yes, 2 = no, don’t know) and knowledge that blocking increased tar intake (scored 1 = increase tar, 2 = no effect, decrease tar, don’t know). Brand category was included in the regression analyses to adjust for group membership effects. All probability values are for two-sided tests.

30 Snedecor, G. W., & Cochran, W. G. (1980). Statistical methods (7th ed.). Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press.

Personnel and Training Required

The interviewer must be trained and found competent (i.e., tested by an expert) to conduct personal interviews with individuals from the general population. The interviewer should be trained to prompt respondents further if a "don’t know" response is provided.

Equipment Needs

None.

Requirements
Requirement CategoryRequired
Major equipment No
Specialized training No
Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection No
Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual No
Mode of Administration

Interviewer-administered questionnaire

Lifestage

Adult

Participants

Adult (18+)

Selection Rationale

The Kozlowski et al. questionnaire has been used to collect data from a substantial sample of smokers in the United States, while other surveys only addressed small, convenience samples. This protocol has been approved by the Research Compliance Office of Pennsylvania State University.

Language

English

Standards
StandardNameIDSource
caDSR Form PhenX PX730801 - Tobacco Product Adulteration Vent Or Filter Blocking 6239024 caDSR Form
Derived Variables

None.

Process and Review

Not applicable.

Protocol Name from Source

Kozlowski, L.T., et al, Smokers are unaware of the filter vents now on most cigarettes: results of a national survey. TOB CONTROL, 1996

Source

Kozlowski, L. T., Goldberg, M. E., Yost, B. A., Ahern, F. M., Aronson, K. R., & Sweeney, C. T. (1996). Smokers are unaware of the filter vents now on most cigarettes: results of a national survey. Tobacco Control, 5, 265-270.

General References

None.

Protocol ID

730801

Variables
Export Variables
Variable Name Variable IDVariable DescriptiondbGaP Mapping
PX730801_CigaretteFilter_Ventilation_Ever_Black_Holes
PX730801030200 Did you ever try to block the filter holes more
on cigarettes? show less
N/A
PX730801_CigaretteFilter_Ventilation_Ever_Black_HolesEncoded
PX730801030100 Did you ever try to block the filter holes more
on cigarettes? show less
N/A
PX730801_CigaretteFilter_Ventilation_HowDo_YouKnow
PX730801020000 How do you know about these holes? N/A
PX730801_CigaretteFilter_Ventilation_How_BlockHoles
PX730801040000 How did you block the filter holes? N/A
PX730801_CigaretteFilter_Ventilation_PresentTime_BlackHoles
PX730801050200 At the present time do you block holes when more
you smoke? show less
N/A
PX730801_CigaretteFilter_Ventilation_PresentTime_BlackHolesEncoded
PX730801050100 At the present time do you block holes when more
you smoke? show less
N/A
PX730801_CigaretteFilter_Ventilation_SmallHoles_Filters
PX730801010200 Have you ever seen or heard that one or more more
rings of small holes are on the filters of some cigarettes? show less
N/A
PX730801_CigaretteFilter_Ventilation_SmallHoles_FiltersEncoded
PX730801010100 Have you ever seen or heard that one or more more
rings of small holes are on the filters of some cigarettes? show less
N/A
PX730801_CigaretteFilter_Ventilation_ThinkBlocking_EffectNicotine
PX730801080000 Do you think that blocking filter holes more
would increase, decrease, or have no effect on the nicotine a smoker gets form these cigarettes? show less
N/A
PX730801_CigaretteFilter_Ventilation_ThinkBlocking_EffectTar
PX730801070000 Do you think that blocking filter holes more
would increase, decrease, or have no effect on the tar a smoker gets from these cigarettes? show less
N/A
PX730801_CigaretteFilter_Ventilation_ThinkBlocking_EffectTaste
PX730801060000 Do you think that blocking filter holes more
would make a cigarette taste stronger, milder, or have no effect? show less
N/A
Tobacco Regulatory Research: Agent
Measure Name

Tobacco Product Adulteration - Vent or Filter Blocking

Release Date

June 24, 2015

Definition

Questionnaire used to evaluate a respondent’s awareness and knowledge of cigarette filter ventilation and the consequences of blocking of vents.

Purpose

The purpose of this measure is to assist investigators in getting a better understanding of a respondent’s vent blocking and his or her perceptions of the effects of filter vent blocking on tobacco exposure.

Keywords

filter blocking, vent blocking, filter holes, adulteration, tobacco, cigarette, ventilation, filter vent, Tobacco Regulatory Research, TRR, Kozlowski, agent, filter, blocking, vent, compensation

Measure Protocols
Protocol ID Protocol Name
730801 Tobacco Product Adulteration - Vent or Filter Blocking
Publications

Garcia-Cazarin, M.L., Mandal, R.J., Grana, R., Wanke, K.L., Meissner, H. (2020) Host-agent-vector-environment measures for electronic cigarette research used in NIH grants. Tobacco Control. 2020 January; 29(1). doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-054032