@Article{info:doi/10.2196/43512,
author="Chen-Sankey, Julia
and Elhabashy, Maryam
and Gratale, Stefanie
and Geller, Jason
and Mercincavage, Melissa
and Strasser, Andrew A
and Delnevo, Cristine D
and Jeong, Michelle
and Wackowski, Olivia A",
title="Examining Visual Attention to Tobacco Marketing Materials Among Young Adult Smokers: Protocol for a Remote Webcam-Based Eye-Tracking Experiment",
journal="JMIR Res Protoc",
year="2023",
month="Apr",
day="13",
volume="12",
pages="e43512",
keywords="eye tracking; remote eye tracking; e-cigarette marketing; young adults; mobile phone",
abstract="Background: Eye tracking provides an objective way to measure attention, which can advance researchers' and policy makers' understanding of tobacco marketing influences. The development of remote webcam-based eye-tracking technology, integrated with web-based crowdsourcing studies, may be a cost-effective and time-efficient alternative to laboratory-based eye-tracking methods. However, research is needed to evaluate the utility of remote eye-tracking methods. Objective: This study aimed to detail the process of designing a remote webcam-based eye-tracking experiment and provide data on associations between participant characteristics and the outcomes of experiment completion. Methods: A total of 2023 young adult (aged 18-34 years) cigarette smokers in the United States were recruited to complete a web-based survey that included a 90-second remote eye-tracking experiment that examined attention to e-cigarette marketing materials. Primary outcome measures assessed the completion of the remote eye-tracking experiment---specifically, experiment initiated versus not initiated, experiment completed versus not completed, and usable versus nonusable eye-tracking data generated. Multivariable logistic regressions examined the associations between outcome measures and participants' sociodemographic backgrounds, tobacco use history, and electronic devices (mobile vs desktop) used during the experiment. Results: Study recruitment began on April 14, 2022, and ended on May 3, 2022. Of the 2023 survey participants, 1887 (93.28{\%}) initiated the experiment, and 777 (38.41{\%}) completed the experiment. Of the 777 participants who completed the experiment, 381 (49{\%}) generated usable data. Results from the full regression models show that non-Hispanic Black participants (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.64, 95{\%} CI 0.45-0.91) were less likely to complete the eye-tracking experiment than non-Hispanic White participants. In addition, female (vs male) participants (AOR 1.46, 95{\%} CI 1.01-2.11), those currently using (vs not using) e-cigarettes (AOR 2.08, 95{\%} CI 1.13-3.82), and those who used mobile (vs desktop) devices (AOR 5.10, 95{\%} CI 3.05-8.52) were more likely to generate usable eye-tracking data. Conclusions: Young adult participants were willing to try remote eye-tracking technology, and nearly half of those who completed the experiment generated usable eye-tracking data (381/777, 49{\%}). Thus, we believe that the use of remote eye-tracking tools, integrated with crowdsourcing recruitment, can be a useful approach for the tobacco regulatory science research community to collect high-quality, large-scale eye-tracking data in a timely fashion and thereby address research questions related to the ever-evolving tobacco marketing landscape. It would be useful to investigate techniques to enhance completion rates and data usability. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR1-10.2196/43512 ",
issn="1929-0748",
doi="10.2196/43512",
url="https://www.researchprotocols.org/2023/1/e43512",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/43512",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37052989"
}