Young adults who never engaged in waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) yet are open to trying it, that is, are susceptible, is a high-risk group for initiation WTS. Very few interventions dissuade this group from WTS. Thus, we explored how four short videos that varied themes of WTS harms influenced susceptible young adults’ risk perceptions, risk beliefs, and susceptibility to future WTS. As part of online cross-sectional study, 208 participants aged 18–34 were randomized to watch or not a short video; each video focused on different themes of WTS risks: physical harms, myths about WTS, addiction, and harms to others. The main outcomes were perceived personal risks, risk beliefs, perceived harm of WTS compared to cigarettes, and susceptibility to future WTS. Watching any video increased beliefs of harm of WTS and lowered susceptibility to future WTS compared to not watching a video. The theme of physical harms was most effective at increasing risk beliefs and lowering susceptibility to future WTS. All four videos were rated as credible, engaging, personally relevant, producing negative affect toward WTS, and effective at dissuading WTS. These promising findings suggest further testing is needed to determine if effects persist and prevent WTS among adults susceptible to WTS.

从未从事过吸水烟（WTS）但愿意尝试的年轻人，即易感人群，是开始吸食水烟的高危人群。很少有干预措施可以阻止这个群体放弃 WTS。因此，我们探讨了四个不同主题的 WTS 危害短视频如何影响易感年轻人的风险认知、风险信念和对未来 WTS 的易感性。作为在线横断面研究的一部分，208 名 18-34 岁的参与者被随机分配观看或不观看短视频；每个视频都关注 WTS 风险的不同主题：身体伤害、关于 WTS 的神话、成瘾和对他人的伤害。主要结果是感知的个人风险、风险信念、与香烟相比 WTS 的感知危害，以及对未来 WTS 的易感性。与不观看视频相比，观看任何视频都会增加对 WTS 危害的认识并降低对未来 WTS 的易感性。身体伤害的主题在增加风险信念和降低对未来 WTS 的易感性方面最有效。所有四个视频都被评为可信、引人入胜、与个人相关、对 WTS 产生负面影响以及有效劝阻 WTS。这些有希望的研究结果表明，需要进一步测试以确定影响是否持续存在并在易患 WTS 的成年人中预防 WTS。