E-cigarette awareness and perceived harmfulness: prevalence and associations with smoking-cessation outcomes

Journal Article

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American Journal of Preventive Medicine

Am.J.Prev.Med.

Aug

141

149

LR: 20150806; CI: Copyright (c) 2014; GR: P20 CA095856/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States; GR: P20CA095856/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States; JID: 8704773; NIHMS572081; OID: NLM: NIHMS572081; OID: NLM: PMC4107147; 2013/09/09 [received]; 2014/01/31 [revised]; 2014/02

Netherlands

1873-2607; 0749-3797

PMID: 24794422

eng

Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; IM

10.1016/j.amepre.2014.02.011 [doi]

Unknown(0)

24794422

BACKGROUND: Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are increasingly advertised as replacements for regular cigarettes or cessation aids for smokers. PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence and correlates of e-cigarette awareness and perceived harmfulness among U.S. adults and analyze whether these variables are associated with smokers' past-year quit attempts and intention to quit. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 4 Cycle 2), conducted from October 2012 to January 2013. Data analyses were performed from June to August 2013. RESULTS: Overall, 77% of respondents were aware of e-cigarettes. Of these, 51% believed e-cigarettes were less harmful than cigarettes. Younger, white (compared with Hispanic), more educated respondents and current or former smokers (compared with non-smokers) were more likely to be aware of e-cigarettes. Among those who were aware of e-cigarettes, younger, more educated respondents and current smokers (compared with former and non-smokers) were more likely to believe that e-cigarettes were less harmful. Awareness and perceived harm were not associated with smokers' past year quit attempts or intention to quit. CONCLUSIONS: Overall e-cigarette awareness increased whereas the proportion of smokers who perceived less harm of e-cigarettes declined compared with earlier surveys. However, awareness and perceived harm of e-cigarettes did not show evidence of promoting smoking cessation at the population level.

American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc

Tan,A.S., Bigman,C.A.

Center of Excellence in Cancer Communication Research, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Electronic address: andytan@alumni.upenn.edu.; Department of Communication, College of Liberal Arts & Scienc

20140430

PMC4107147

http://vp9py7xf3h.search.serialssolutions.com/?charset=utf-8&pmid=24794422

2014