Consumers’ Preferences for Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Product Features: A Structured Content Analysis

Christine E. Kistler, Trisha M. Crutchfield, Erin L. Sutfin, Leah M. Ranney, Micah L. Berman, Gary A. Zarkin and Adam O. Goldstein
Additional contact information
Christine E. Kistler: Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 590 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
Trisha M. Crutchfield: Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
Erin L. Sutfin: Department of Social Science and Health Policy, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27599, USA
Leah M. Ranney: Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 590 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
Micah L. Berman: College of Public Health & Moritz College of Law, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Gary A. Zarkin: Behavioral Health and Criminal Justice Research Division, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC 27599, USA
Adam O. Goldstein: Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 590 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-10

Abstract: To inform potential governmental regulations, we aimed to develop a list of electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) product features important to U.S. consumers by age and gender. We employed qualitative data methods. Participants were eligible if they had used an ENDS at least once. Groups were selected by age and gender (young adult group aged 18–25, n = 11; middle-age group aged 26–64, n = 9; and women’s group aged 26–64, n = 9). We conducted five individual older adult interviews (aged 68–80). Participants discussed important ENDS features. We conducted a structured content analysis of the group and interview responses. Of 34 participants, 68% were white and 56% were female. Participants mentioned 12 important ENDS features, including: (1) user experience; (2) social acceptability; (3) cost; (4) health risks/benefits; (5) ease of use; (6) flavors; (7) smoking cessation aid; (8) nicotine content; (9) modifiability; (10) ENDS regulation; (11) bridge between tobacco cigarettes; (12) collectability. The most frequently mentioned ENDS feature was modifiability for young adults, user experience for middle-age and older adults, and flavor for the women’s group. This study identified multiple features important to ENDS consumers. Groups differed in how they viewed various features by age and gender. These results can inform ongoing regulatory efforts.

Keywords: electronic nicotine delivery system; qualitative; consumer preferences (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/6/613/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/6/613/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:6:p:613-:d:100791

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().