Patterns of News Consumption during the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis: A 2.5 Year Longitudinal Study in the Netherlands.

During major long-term crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, news media are crucial sources of information for the public. This study aimed to explore the frequency of COVID-19-related news consumption based on (1) phase of the pandemic, (2) socio-demographic characteristics, and (3) news information channels. The study used a dynamic cohort design with 18 rounds of data collection, including 306,692 responses from 83,180 unique respondents in the Netherlands from 17 April 2020 to 11 September 2022.

Tobacco Outlet Availability, Density, and Proximity in Rural Areas in the Netherlands: An Ex ante Evaluation of the Impact of Tobacco Sales Bans.

Introduction: The Netherlands will ban tobacco sales from supermarkets in 2024 and from petrol stations and small outlets after 2030 (tobacco specialist shops exempted). Previous studies showed that this will reduce outlet availability, density, and proximity in Dutch urban areas.

Aims And Methods: This study assessed the distribution of tobacco outlets in Dutch rural areas, and potential outlet reductions after implementation of these bans.

Widening the price gap: the effect of the Netherlands' 2020 tax increase on tobacco prices.

Introduction: The public health impact of a tobacco tax increase depends on the extent to which the industry passes the increase onto consumers, also known as tax-pass through. In 2020, the Netherlands announced tax increases aimed to increase the retail price by €1 per 20 factory-made cigarettes and €2.50 per 50 grams of roll-your-own tobacco.

Psychosocial determinants of handwashing and physical distancing behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands: A longitudinal analysis.

Objectives: Physical distancing and handwashing can be important infection prevention measures during an infectious disease outbreak such as the COVID-19 pandemic. To stimulate these behaviours, knowledge of psychosocial determinants as well as contextual factors is vital. We present longitudinal, within-person analyses of the impact of contextual and psychosocial factors on handwashing and distancing behaviour.

The role of mental well-being in the effects of persuasive health messages: A scoping review.

Emerging evidence in health communication and psychology suggests that a) exposure to specific persuasive health messages can have unintended effects on the mental well-being of recipients and b) recipients' mental well-being before exposure can influence message processing. Available evidence regarding the relationship between mental well-being and exposure to specific health messages lacks consistency and is scattered across different fields. This scoping review of 24 publications summarizes what is known about mental health effects in health communication and provides a research agenda for future work.

Context Matters: Patterns in Physical Distancing Behavior Across Situations and Over Time During the Covid-19 Pandemic in the Netherlands.

Background: Physical distancing is an effective preventative measure during respiratory infectious disease outbreaks. Prior studies on distancing behaviors have largely ignored context characteristics (physical, social) and time.

Purpose: We investigated patterns in physical distancing over time and across situations, as well as sociodemographic variation herein.

Socioeconomic differences in tobacco outlet presence, density, and proximity in four cities in the Netherlands.

Background: Previous studies found that tobacco outlets were unevenly distributed by area socioeconomic status (SES). However, evidence from continental Europe is limited. This study aims to assess differences in tobacco outlet presence, density and proximity by area SES in the Netherlands.

Dealing with Alcohol-Related Posts on Social Media: Using a Mixed-Method Approach to Understand Young Peoples' Problem Awareness and Evaluations of Intervention Ideas.

Young individuals frequently share and encounter alcohol-related content (i.e., alcohol posts) on social networking sites.

Smokers' strategies to reduce tobacco spending: self-reported use and differences across subgroups. Findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Netherlands Survey.

Background: The cost of tobacco is one of the most reported reasons for smoking cessation. Rather than quitting, smokers can use also strategies to reduce tobacco expenditure while continuing smoking, such as smoking less or using price-minimising strategies. The Netherlands announced to increase the price of a pack cigarettes from seven (2018) to ten euros (2023), to reduce tobacco prevalence and consumption.

Understanding public support for COVID-19 pandemic mitigation measures over time: Does it wear out?

Background: COVID-19 mitigation measures intend to protect public health, but their adverse psychological, social, and economic effects weaken public support. Less favorable trade-offs may especially weaken support for more restrictive measures. Support for mitigation measures may also differ between population subgroups who experience different benefits and costs, and decrease over time, a phenomenon termed "pandemic fatigue.

My future-self has (not) quit smoking: An experimental study into the effect of a future-self intervention on smoking-related self-identity constructs.

Objectives: Envisioning one's (non)smoking future may make (un)desired future identities more accessible, salient, and personally relevant and facilitate smoking cessation. The current study assessed whether a future-self intervention can weaken smoker self-identity and expected identity loss when quitting smoking, and strengthen quitter- and nonsmoker self-identity, while accounting for personal factors-socioeconomic position, nicotine dependence, consideration of future consequences, and clarity of the envisioned future-self. Additionally, it examined the association between smoking-related identity and quitting intention and behavior.

Smoking Cessation Among Gender Minority Populations, Cis-women, and Cis-men: Findings From the International Tobacco Control Netherlands Survey.

Introduction: Little is known about smoking cessation among gender minority populations compared to cisgender individuals (whose gender matches their sex assigned at birth). We examined differences between smokers from gender minority populations, cis-women, and cis-men in the heaviness of smoking, quit intentions, use of cessation assistance, quit attempts (ever tried and number), and triggers for thinking about quitting.

Aims And Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the 2020 International Tobacco Control Netherlands Survey.

Trends in Individualized Affordability of Factory-Made Cigarettes: Findings of the 2008-2020 International Tobacco Control Netherlands Surveys.

Introduction: Cigarette affordability, the price of tobacco relative to consumer income, is a key determinant of tobacco consumption.

Aims And Methods: This study examined trends over 12 years in individualized factory-made cigarette affordability in the Netherlands, and whether these trends differed by sex, age, and education. Data from 10 waves (2008-2020) of the International Tobacco Control Netherlands Surveys were used to estimate individualized affordability, measured as the percentage of income required to buy 100 cigarette packs (Relative Income Price [RIP]), using self-reported prices and income.

The association between objectively measured exposure to tobacco outlets and smoking cognitions: a study among non-smoking adolescents in four Dutch cities.

Aims: Exposure to tobacco products and advertising at the point of sale may be associated with pro-smoking cognitions. However, previous studies on this topic measured exposure based on self-report and did not include European countries. The aim of this study was to assess the association between objectively measured exposure to tobacco outlets and non-smoking adolescents' smoking attitudes, beliefs and norms.

Physical Distancing and Social Media Use in Emerging Adults and Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Large-scale Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Survey Study.

Background: Although emerging adults play a role in the spread of COVID-19, they are less likely to develop severe symptoms after infection. Emerging adults' relatively high use of social media as a source of information raises concerns regarding COVID-19-related behavioral compliance (ie, physical distancing) in this age group.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate physical distancing among emerging adults in comparison with adults and examine the role of using social media for COVID-19 news and information in this regard.

Educational inequalities in exposure to tobacco promotion at the point of sale among adolescents in four Dutch cities.

This study aimed to assess educational differences in adolescents' exposure to tobacco outlets. Data were collected among 312 13-17-year-old non-smoking secondary school students in four Dutch cities. In a smartphone app, exposure (≤10 m from outlet) was measured using GPS and participants reported their educational track (pre-vocational vs.

Non-smoking adolescents' perceptions of dissuasive cigarettes.

Introduction: Dissuasive cigarettes, cigarettes with an unappealing colour or displaying a health warning label, may deter young people from smoking uptake.

Methods: Two online surveys were conducted with non-smokers aged 12-17 to explore perceptions of cigarette appeal, harm and product trial. Study 1 was a within-subject study which examined perceptions of four cigarettes with different coloured paper, and four cigarettes displaying a warning.

Ex ante evaluation of the impact of tobacco control policy measures aimed at the point of sale in the Netherlands.

Introduction: The Netherlands aims to implement stricter tobacco control policies targeting the retail environment. This paper is an ex ante policy evaluation of the potential impact of the current tobacco display and advertising ban as well as future tobacco sales bans on tobacco outlet visibility and availability.

Methods: Between September 2019 and June 2020, all potential tobacco retailers in four Dutch cities (Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Haarlem and Zwolle) were visited and mapped using Global Positioning System.

Demand for Factory-Made Cigarettes and Roll-Your-Own Tobacco and Differences Between Age and Socioeconomic Groups: Findings From the International Tobacco Control Netherlands Survey.

Introduction: Macroeconomic studies have shown that young individuals who smoke, and have a low socioeconomic status respond more strongly to price increases. Most of this evidence stems from research on factory-made (FM) cigarettes. With the rising popularity of roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco, there is a need for studies on cigarette demand that distinguish between both.

Tobacco Retailers' Support for Point-of-Sale Tobacco Control Policies in England: Association Study of Retailers' Perceived Importance of Tobacco Sales, Contact with the Tobacco Industry, and the Perceived Impact of the Policy.

Introduction: Political acceptability and successful implementation of tobacco control policies at the point of sale may depend on, among other factors, tobacco retailers' level of support for these policies. This study quantified the level of support among small tobacco retailers for four point-of-sale tobacco control policies and its association with three predictors.

Methods: We used cross-sectional telephone survey data (August 2019) of 508 small tobacco retailers in England.

Causal Effects of Alcohol-Related Facebook Posts on Drinking Behavior: Longitudinal Experimental Study.

Background: Adolescents and young adults frequently post alcohol-related content (ie, alcoholposts) on social media. This is problematic because both social norms theory and social learning theory suggest that viewing alcoholposts of peers could increase drinking behavior. It is therefore paramount to understand the effects of exposure to alcoholposts on viewers.

Dutch youth's smoking behaviour during a partial Covid-19 lockdown.

Previous research found that adult smokers increased their smoking in response to the Covid-19 lockdown in spring 2020. This study explored changes in youth's smoking during, compared to before, the partial lockdown in the Netherlands in a cross-sectional sample of 287 adolescents. Smoking prevalence increased from 4.

"At least someone thinks I'm doing well": a real-world evaluation of the quit-smoking app StopCoach for lower socio-economic status smokers.

Background: Smoking is more prevalent and persistent among lower socio-economic status (SES) compared with higher-SES groups, and contributes greatly to SES-based health inequities. Few interventions exist that effectively help lower-SES smokers quit. This study evaluated "De StopCoach", a mobile phone delivered eHealth intervention targeted at lower-SES smokers based on the evidence-based StopAdvisor, in a real-world setting (five municipalities) in The Netherlands in 2019-2020.