Tobacco Use, Quitting Behavior, and Health Characteristics Among Current Electronic Cigarette Users in a National Tri-Ethnic Adult Stable Smoker Sample.
BACKGROUND
The present study characterizes the tobacco use, quitting behaviors, and health characteristics of cigarette smokers who did not change their smoking pattern over the past 6 months and have used electronic cigarettes (ECs) in the past 30 days. This is an important subpopulation to characterize if EC dual use with cigarettes continues to grow.


METHODS
Participants (N = 2,376) from a research survey panel completed an online cross-sectional survey between June and August 2012. Sampling was stratified to recruit equal numbers of cigarette smoking participants by race/ethnicity (Black, Hispanic, and Caucasian) and smoking frequency (nondaily and daily). All displayed a stable rate of smoking for the past 6 months and were not currently in treatment. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine correlates of current EC use (any use within the past 30 days).


RESULTS
Current EC use was reported by 9.2% (n = 219) of the total sample. Of current EC users, 44% reported having used ECs as a quit method. Bivariate and multivariate analyses showed that current EC use was significantly associated with greater nicotine dependence, concurrent poly-tobacco use, more past-year quit attempts, past use of multiple cessation methods, and more depressive symptoms. No demographic variables were significantly associated with current EC use.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that stable smokers who currently use ECs possess characteristics that are associated with difficulty in achieving smoking cessation. These characteristics should be considered when examining the effectiveness of ECs on cessation and in designing future cessation trials using ECs.
Department of Psychology, California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, CA; kpulvers@csusm.edu.
Kim
K
Pulvers
Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA;
Rashelle B
RB
Hayes
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS;
Taneisha S
TS
Scheuermann
Department of Kinesiology, California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, CA;
Devan R
DR
Romero
Department of Psychology, California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, CA;
Ashley S
AS
Emami
Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI;
Ken
K
Resnicow
Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA;
Effie
E
Olendzki
Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA;
Sharina D
SD
Person
Center for Health Equity, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN.
Jasjit S
JS
Ahluwalia
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000208:ethnology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult