Psychographic segmentation to identify higher-risk teen peer crowds for health communications: Validation of Virginia's Mindset Lens Survey.

Audience segmentation is necessary in health communications to ensure equitable resource distribution. Peer crowds, which are macro-level teen subcultures, are effective psychographic segments for health communications because each crowd has unique mindsets, values, norms, and health behavior profiles. These mindsets affect behaviors, and can be used to develop targeted health communication campaigns to reach those in greatest need.

Freedom From Chew: Using Social Branding to Reduce Chewing Tobacco Use Among Country Peer Crowd Teens.

Background: Peer crowds are macro-level, reputation-based subcultures with shared preferences, values, and behavior. The Country peer crowd has been the focus of tobacco industry research and marketing but has yet to be the primary focus of public health research. The current study explores the utility of Down and Dirty, a Social Branding tobacco education campaign, in changing Virginia Country teens' chewing tobacco-related attitudes and behavior.

Peer Crowd Identification and Adolescent Health Behaviors: Results From a Statewide Representative Study.

Purpose: Peer crowds are macro-level subcultures that share similarities across geographic areas. Over the past decade, dozens of studies have explored the association between adolescent peer crowds and risk behaviors, and how they can inform public health efforts. However, despite the interest, researchers have not yet reported on crowd size and risk levels from a representative sample, making it difficult for practitioners to apply peer crowd science to interventions.