Reasons to use e-cigarettes among adults and youth in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study

Abstract

Background: While e-cigarette use is increasing, reasons to use e-cigarettes are poorly summarized in the literature. The objective of this study was to organize reasons to use e-cigarette items into factors and determine associations between these factors and e-cigarette user characteristics. Methods: Data were drawn from youth (12–17) and adults (18+) in Wave 1 (2013–2014) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on 13 reasons to use survey items from experimental and established adult e-cigarette users and past 30 day youth e-cigarette users to determine two factors – “alternative to cigarettes” and “larger social environment”. Weighted linear regression models tested the associations between e-cigarette user group and sociodemographics and reasons to use factors among youth and adults. Results: Adult current established e-cigarette users were associated with both alternative to cigarettes (β = 0.128, p < .001) and larger social environment (β = 0.063, p < .001) factors, while former established e-cigarette users were associated with alternative to cigarettes (β = 0.064, p < .001). Several adult socio-demographic characteristics were associated with one but not the other factor, or both but in opposite directions. Youth that used e-cigarettes earlier today were also associated with both reasons to use factors (β = 0.127–0.130, p < .01, each); however, youth using any other day in the past 30 days was not associated with either factor. Conclusions: Reasons to use are associated with patterns of e-cigarette use among youth and adults. These factors could support a comprehensive approach to addressing rising e-cigarette use among youth and adults and target certain user populations.

E-cigarette use behaviors and device characteristics of daily exclusive e-cigarette users in Maryland: Implications for product toxicity

“…Participants reported using e-cigarettes primarily as an aid to quit smoking (35%) and as a healthier alternative to combustible cigarettes (32%). This is consistent with current established adult e-cigarette users from Wave 1 of the PATH study (2013-2014) who also reported using e-cigarettes as an alternative to cigarettes 17 . Interestingly, women in our study were less inclined to reduce their nicotine e-liquid concentrations compared to men.…”

Vaping in the Workplace

“…People vape for a variety of reasons, including as a partial or complete substitute for cigarettes or other tobacco products, a belief that e-cigarettes are less harmful than cigarettes, and the ability to vape in places where other types of tobacco use is prohibited, 7 including workplaces. 8 , 9 Such use may be due to the legal permissibility and social acceptance of vaping, or because vaping can be done “stealthily” to avoid detection.…”

Response to Flavored Cartridge/Pod-Based Product Ban among Adult JUUL Users: “You Get Nicotine However You Can Get It”

“…In 2018, 14.9% of adults in the United States reported ever using an e-cig, and 3.2% reported current use [ 8 ]. Many adults report initiating e-cig use as a way to quit cigarette smoking [ 9 , 10 ]; however, the impact of e-cig use on quitting smoking has been controversial in the literature [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]. Some studies have reported that e-cig use is not associated with increased success in quitting [ 14 , 15 ], while other studies have found that e-cigs can be effective aids in quitting [ 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”