Open AccessElectronic Cigarette Awareness, Use, and Perceptions among Cancer Patients
Author(s) -
Buczek Erin J.,
Harrington Kathleen F.,
Hendricks Peter S.,
Schmalbach Cecelia E.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
oto open
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2473-974X
DOI - 10.1177/2473974x18774543
Subject(s) - electronic cigarette , medicine , cancer , population , wilcoxon signed rank test , smoking cessation , descriptive statistics , nicotine , demography , family medicine , psychology , environmental health , mann–whitney u test , statistics , mathematics , pathology , sociology
Objective Electronic cigarettes (e‐cigs) are an emerging trend, yet little is known about their use in the cancer population. The objectives of this study were (1) to describe characteristics of e‐cig use among cancer patients, (2) to define e‐cig advertising exposure, and (3) to characterize perceptions of traditional cigarettes versus e‐cigs. Study Design Cross‐sectional study. Setting Comprehensive cancer center. Subjects and Methods Inpatient, current smokers with a cancer diagnosis. E‐cig exposure and use were defined using descriptive statistics. Wilcoxon rank test was used to compare perceptions between e‐cigs and traditional cigarettes. Results A total of 979 patients were enrolled in the study; 39 cancer patients were identified. Most cancer patients were women (59%), with an average age of 53.3 years. Of the patients, 46.2% reported e‐cig use, most of which (88.9%) was “experimental or occasional.” The primary reason for e‐cig use was to aid smoking cessation (66.7%), alternative use in nonsmoking areas (22.2%), and “less risky” cigarette replacement (5.6%). The most common sources for e‐cig information were TV (76.9%), stores (48.7%), friends (35.9%), family (30.8%), and newspapers or magazines (12.8%). Compared with cigarettes, e‐cigs were viewed as posing a reduced health risk ( P <. 001) and conferring a less negative social impression ( P <. 001). They were also viewed as less likely to satisfy nicotine cravings ( P =. 002), to relieve boredom ( P =. 0005), to have a calming effect ( P <. 001), and as tasting pleasant ( P =. 006) Conclusions E‐cig use and advertising exposure are common among cancer patients. E‐cig use is perceived as healthier and more socially acceptable but less likely to produce a number of desired consequences of cigarette use.