The Frequency of Use and Harm Perception of Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs): The 2019 Cross-Sectional Survey among Medical Students from Poland

Paulina Majek, Mateusz Jankowski, Bartłomiej Nowak, Maksymilian Macherski, Maciej Nowak, Aleksandra Gil, Piotr Nakiela, Barbara Lewicka, Joshua Allan Lawson, Jan Eugeniusz Zejda and Grzegorz Marek Brożek
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Paulina Majek: Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
Mateusz Jankowski: School of Public Health, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, 01-826 Warsaw, Poland
Bartłomiej Nowak: Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
Maksymilian Macherski: Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
Maciej Nowak: Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
Aleksandra Gil: Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
Piotr Nakiela: Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
Barbara Lewicka: Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
Joshua Allan Lawson: Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 2Z4, Canada
Jan Eugeniusz Zejda: Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
Grzegorz Marek Brożek: Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-12

Abstract: Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are devices for generating a nicotine aerosol by heating the tobacco sticks. This study aimed to assess (1) the prevalence of HTP and tobacco cigarette usage among medical students, (2) to characterize smoking habits and (3) to assess students’ awareness and opinions about HTPs. A cross-sectional survey on the frequency and attitudes toward cigarettes, e-cigarettes and HTP use was performed between 2019–2020 at the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland). The data were obtained from 1344 students aged 21.8 ± 1.9 years (response rate: 66.9%). Current traditional tobacco use was 13.2%, e-cigarettes use 3.5%, and HTP use 2.8% of students. Duration of use was shorter among HTPs users comparing to cigarette smokers ( p < 0.001) although the number of tobacco sticks used daily was similar ( p = 0.1). Almost 30% of respondents have ever tried HTPs. HTPs were considered safe by 5.3% of respondents (43.2% of HTP users vs. 3.9% of non-HTP users, p < 0.001). HTP users were more likely to report that heating tobacco is not addictive (odds ratio (OR) = 8.9, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.8–45.8) and disagreed with a public ban on HTP use (OR = 4.9, 95%CI: 2.5–9.8). Among students, HTP use was less popular than cigarette smoking, but awareness of their presence is widespread.

Keywords: heated tobacco products; heating tobacco; smoking; tobacco; students (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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