Using discursive approaches to examine the utility and functions of language in public health and health promotion: highlighting social constructions of e-cigarettes

This article uses discursive approaches to examine the utility and functions of language in public health, focusing on social constructions e-cigarettes. Due ambiguity surrounding use e-cigarettes, understanding may be negotiated collaboratively through co-construction talk. Ten participants, three men seven women aged 26–47 years, took part two focus groups Manchester, UK, where they discussed Data were analysed using blended discourse analysis, with a view identifying dominant repertoires used by speakers. Participants drew from frameworks communicate perceptions e-cigarettes: (1) uncertainty risk (2) acceptability stigma spectrum. The e-cigarettes was reflected linguistic devices demonstrates value drawing analysis better understand impact health-related communication providing insight into how existing messages are interpreted, co-constructed, assigned meaning shared interactions.