Smokers who try E-cigarettes to quit smoking: Findings from a multiethnic study in Hawaii

P. Pokhrel, P. Fagan, M.A. Little, C.T. Kawamoto and T.A. Herzog

American Journal of Public Health, 2013, vol. 103, issue 9, e57-e62

Abstract: Objectives. We characterized smokers who are likely to use electronic or "e-"cigarettes to quit smoking. Methods. We obtained cross-sectional data in 2010-2012 from 1567 adult daily smokers in Hawaii using a paper-and-pencil survey. Analyses were conducted using logistic regression. Results. Of the participants, 13% reported having ever used e-cigarettes to quit smoking. Smokers who had used them reported higher motivation to quit, higher quitting self-efficacy, and longer recent quit duration than did other smokers. Age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.97, 0.99) and Native Hawaiian ethnicity (OR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.45, 0.99) were inversely associated with increased likelihood of ever using e-cigarettes for cessation. Other significant correlates were higher motivation to quit (OR = 1.14; 95% CI = 1.08, 1.21), quitting self-efficacy (OR = 1.18; 95% CI = 1.06, 1.36), and ever using US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved cessation aids such as nicotine gum (OR = 3.72; 95% CI = 2.67, 5.19). Conclusions. Smokers who try e-cigarettes to quit smoking appear to be serious about wanting to quit. Despite lack of evidence regarding efficacy, smokers treat e-cigarettes as valid alternatives to FDA-approved cessation aids. Research is needed to test the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes as cessation aids.

Keywords: nicotine gum, Aborigine; adult; article; Asian American; attitude to health; Caucasian; cross-sectional study; educational status; ethnology; female; human; male; methodology; middle aged; motivation; risk; smoking cessation; statistical model; statistics; tobacco; United States, Adult; Asian Americans; Attitude to Health; Cross-Sectional Studies; Educational Status; European Continental Ancestry Group; Female; Hawaii; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Motivation; Oceanic Ancestry Group; Odds Ratio; Smoking Cessation; Tobacco Products; Tobacco Use Cessation Products (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301453_8

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301453

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