Young adult bar goer's social media use

ntroduction: Young adult smoking rates are higher than for any other age group in the United States, with young adult bar goers smoking at a rate of roughly 60%. Young adults may be amenable to smoking cessation interventions using social media, but little is known about how young adult bar goers use social media or how to design an effective social media intervention. Methods: We collected survey data from 217 young adults recruited from bars and nightclubs in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego CA, Tuscon, AZ, Oklahoma City, OK and Nashville, TN, to determine their social media use patterns. Results: The majority of survey respondents (ranging from 69% in Oklahoma City to 95% in Los Angeles) reported they used social media daily. Survey respondents reported that Facebook was used most often (89%). The second most frequently used social media tools varied by location with Twitter being the most common in Tuscon (19%), Los Angeles (52%), Oklahoma (25%) and Nashville (50%) and Tumblr being the most common in San Francisco (21%). In San Diego, very few respondents reported a secondary social media tool. Respondents also used Instagram (13%) and Pinterest (less than 5%). There were no clear differences between smokers and non-smokers in their use patterns. Discussion: Young adult bar goers use social media and this may be an effective avenue for an intervention. However, there are location-based differences in social media use that may affect the intervention . Possible strategies for social media interventions will be discussed.