1. E-cigarette use behaviors and device characteristics of daily exclusive e-cigarette users in Maryland: Implications for product toxicity.
- Author
-
Aherrera, Angela, Aravindakshan, Atul, Jarmul, Stephanie, Olmedo, Pablo, Rui Chen, Cohen, Joanna E., Navas-Acien, Ana, and Rule, Ana M.
- Subjects
ELECTRONIC cigarettes ,SUBSTANCE abuse ,FORMALDEHYDE ,HEALTH status indicators ,REGRESSION analysis ,T-test (Statistics) ,CHI-squared test ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,SMOKING ,SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC factors - Abstract
INTRODUCTION Few studies to date have characterized daily exclusive e-cigarette users, device characteristics, and use behaviors. This study describes daily e-cigarette user characteristics, and assesses the association between user behaviors and demographics. METHODS From 2015-2017, 100 daily exclusive e-cigarette users and 50 non-users were recruited in Maryland, USA. Sociodemographic characteristics, health status, e-cigarette/tobacco use behaviors, device characteristics, and reasons for e-cigarette use were collected by interview. Chi-squared tests (categorical variables), Student's t-test (continuous variables), and linear regressions were used to assess relationships between variables. RESULTS Most daily exclusive e-cigarette users were men, White, former smokers, used MODs/tanks, and vaped on average 365 puffs/day (SD: 720). A third of users first vaped within 5 minutes of waking in the morning, and 56% vaped throughout the day. E-liquid consumption ranged from 5-240 mL/week (median: 32.5), with nicotine concentration 0-24 mg/mL (median: 3). E-cigarette users were more likely to report wheezing/whistling and hypertension than controls, although the finding was not statistically significant after adjustment. Less than half planned to quit vaping. CONCLUSIONS Daily e-cigarette users between 2015-2017 most commonly vaped MOD/tank devices. Being male and of lower education was associated with higher usage. Daily users with no intention to quit may be at risk for increased exposure to emissions from e-cigarettes that include inorganic (metals) and organic (e.g. acrolein, formaldehyde) compounds with known toxic effects, particularly to the lung. Further research is needed to characterize the long-term health effects of daily e-cigarette use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF