title: Social Interactions as a Source of Information about E-Cigarettes: A Study of U.S. Adult Smokers.
abstract: The novelty of e-cigarettes and ambiguity about their effects may foster informal sharing of information, such as through social interactions. We aimed to describe smokers' social interactions about e-cigarettes and their recommendations that others use e-cigarettes. Data were collected from 2149 adult smokers in North Carolina and California who participated in a study of the impact of pictorial cigarette pack warnings. In the previous month, almost half of participants (45%) reported talking to at least one person about e-cigarettes and nearly a third of participants (27%) recommended e-cigarettes to someone else. Smokers recommended e-cigarettes to cut back on smoking (57%), to quit smoking (48%), for health reasons (36%), and for fun (27%). In adjusted analyses, more frequent e-cigarette use, positive views about typical e-cigarette users, and attempting to quit smoking in the past month were associated with recommending e-cigarettes for health reasons (all p < 0.05). Social interactions appear to be a popular method of information-sharing about e-cigarettes among smokers. Health communication campaigns may help to fill in the gaps of smokers' understanding of e-cigarettes and their long-term effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Rosenau Hall CB7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. mghall@unc.edu.|Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. mghall@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Marissa G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Rosenau Hall CB7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. jpepper@rti.org.|RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA. jpepper@rti.org.
authors.forename: Jessica K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Pepper
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Rosenau Hall CB7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. morganjc@email.unc.edu.|Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. morganjc@email.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Rosenau Hall CB7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. ntb@unc.edu.|Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. ntb@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Noel T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Brewer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002140:California; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: e-cigarettes; electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS); interpersonal communication; social interactions; tobacco control