Abstract
Abstract
Introduction and aims: Personal Vaporizers (PVs), 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=1,199, mean age=45.3 years, 44.8% male), collected in 2014/15 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 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.
Introduction and aims: Personal Vaporizers (PVs), 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=1,199, mean age=45.3 years, 44.8% male), collected in 2014/15 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 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 language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Drug and Alcohol Review |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 28 Apr 2017 |
Keywords
- personal vaporizers
- E-cigarettes
- attitudes
- past experiences
- intentions