Search

E-cigarette use has been increasing globally over the past decade. Many use e-cigarettes as an alternative or method to quit cigarette smoking, whereas others use these products recreationally. As technology has advanced, many individuals have reported symptoms of dependence on these products and continue to use them beyond achieving abstinence from smoking. Despite individuals reporting interest in quitting, little is known about e-cigarette cessation. This systematic review sought to identify and evaluate all human subjects literature published on the outcome of e-cigarette cessation through September 2021. Of the 79 articles identified, 56 were cross-sectional, 6 were qualitative, 5 were cohort studies, 3 were experimental, 2 were mixed methods, and 7 reported intervention or case studies of e-cigarette cessation. Results showed youth generally had high intent to quit e-cigarettes, whereas results were mixed with adult samples. Youth were motivated to quit e-cigarettes by health concerns, whereas adults were motivated to quit e-cigarettes by cost, lack of satisfaction, and psychologic factors. Adults were more likely to report past e-cigarette quit attempts, most commonly “cold turkey.” Few interventions tested strategies for e-cigarette cessation, with a majority targeted for youth. Given the lack of information on e-cigarette cessation, recommendations for future studies are outlined.

Supplementary Table from Urgent Need for Novel Investigations of Treatments to Quit E-cigarettes: Findings from a Systematic Review

Supplementary Data from Urgent Need for Novel Investigations of Treatments to Quit E-cigarettes: Findings from a Systematic Review

The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual lung cancer screening for patients at high risk based on age and smoking history. Understanding the characteristics of patients attending lung cancer screening, including potential barriers to quitting smoking, may inform ways to engage these high-risk patients in tobacco treatment and address health disparities. Patients attending lung cancer screening who currently smoke cigarettes completed a survey at Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven (N = 74) and the Medical University of South Carolina (N = 73) at the time of their appointment. The survey assessed demographics, smoking history, and perceptions and concerns about quitting smoking. Patients were 55 to 76 years old (mean = 63.3, SD = 5.3), N = 64 (43.5%) female, and N = 31 (21.1%) non-Hispanic Black. Patients smoked 16.3 cigarettes per day on average (SD = 9.2) and rated interest in quitting smoking in the next month as moderate (mean = 5.6, SD = 3.1, measured from 0 = “very definitely no” to 10 = “very definitely yes”). The most frequently endorsed concerns about quitting smoking were missing smoking (70.7%), worry about having strong urges to smoke (63.9%), and concerns about withdrawal symptoms (59.9%). In comparison with other races/ethnicities, Black patients were less likely to report concerns about withdrawal symptoms and more likely to report smoking less now and perceiving no need to quit. Findings identified specific barriers for tobacco treatment and differences by race/ethnicity among patients attending lung cancer screening, including concerns about withdrawal symptoms and perceived need to quit. Identifying ways to promote tobacco treatment is important for reducing morbidity and mortality among this high-risk population. Prevention Relevance: The current study examines patient characteristics and tobacco treatment perceptions and barriers among patients attending lung cancer screening who continue to smoke cigarettes that may help inform ways to increase treatment engagement and address tobacco-related health disparities to reduce morbidity and mortality from smoking.