title: Physicians' attitudes and use of e-cigarettes as cessation devices, North Carolina, 2013.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are not currently approved or recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or various medical organizations; yet, they appear to play a substantial role in tobacco users' cessation attempts. This study reports on a physician survey that measured beliefs, attitudes, and behavior related to e-cigarettes and smoking cessation. To our knowledge this is the first study to measure attitudes toward e-cigarettes among physicians treating adult smokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a direct marketing company, a random sample of 787 North Carolina physicians were contacted in 2013 through email, with 413 opening the email and 128 responding (response rate = 31%). Physicians' attitudes towards e-cigarettes were measured through a series of close-ended questions. Recommending e-cigarettes to patients served as the outcome variable for a logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two thirds (67%) of the surveyed physicians indicated e-cigarettes are a helpful aid for smoking cessation, and 35% recommended them to their patients. Physicians were more likely to recommend e-cigarettes when their patients asked about them or when the physician believed e-cigarettes were safer than smoking standard cigarettes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many North Carolina physicians are having conversations about e-cigarettes with their patients, and some are recommending them. Future FDA regulation of e-cigarettes may help provide evidence-based guidance to physicians about e-cigarettes and will help ensure that patients receive evidence-based recommendations about the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes in tobacco cessation.
authors: Psychology Department, Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois, United States of America.
authors: Kelly L
authors: KL
authors: Kandra
authors: Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors: Leah M
authors: LM
authors: Ranney
authors: Departments of Family Medicine and Health Behavior, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors: Joseph G L
authors: JG
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors: Adam O
authors: AO
authors: Goldstein
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina; D010820:Physicians; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires