Factors associated with future intentions to use personal vaporisers among those with some experience of vaping

Bernice Hua Ma, Hua Hie Yong, Ron Borland*, Ann Mcneill, Sara C. Hitchman

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)
182 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Introduction and Aims. Personal vaporisers (PV), including e-cigarettes, may be a harm reduction strategy for tobacco control. This study aims to identify factors associated with future intentions to vape among smokers and ex-smokers in Australia and the UK. Design and Methods. Cross-sectional data of smokers and ex-smokers (n = 1199, mean age = 45.3 years, 44.8% male), collected in 2014/2015 and divided into four subgroups: smoking past vapers (SPV), smoking vapers (SV), ex-smoking past vapers (ESPV) and ex-smoking vapers (ESV), from the International Tobacco Control Australia and UK surveys were analysed by using regression models. Results. Higher vaping satisfaction increased vaping intentions for all groups except ESPV. Perceiving PVs as less harmful predicted intentions to vape for all groups except ESV. The importance of PVs for stopping smoking predicted lower intentions to continue vaping for SV, but higher intentions to initiate vaping for SPV. The importance of PVs for cutting down smoking was a positive predictor only for SPV. Among ex-smokers, importance for maintaining not smoking was a positive predictor for ESPV, but not for ESV. The importance of perceiving vapour being less harmful also depended on vaping status for ex-smokers. The only country interaction was that only in the UK was perceiving PVs as less harmful associated with intention among SPV. Discussion and Conclusion. Factors influencing intentions vary by smoking and/or vaping status, with greater differences between the ex-smoker subgroups. This is consistent with PVs being seen as a way of managing smoking, rather than something that has intrinsic value, for all except the ex-smoking vapers.

Original languageEnglish
JournalDrug and Alcohol Review
Early online date31 May 2017
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 31 May 2017

Keywords

  • Attitude
  • E-cigarette
  • Intention
  • Past experience
  • Personal vaporiser

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Factors associated with future intentions to use personal vaporisers among those with some experience of vaping'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this