How US Smokers Refer to E-cigarettes: An Examination of User-Generated Posts From a Web-Based Smoking Cessation Intervention, 2008-2015.
BACKGROUND
A challenge in Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) research is how to refer to these devices in ways that are meaningful to current or potential users. The objectives of this study were to: (1) describe the frequency of ENDS terms in a web-based smoking cessation intervention; and (2) determine whether terms vary by US geographic region and date.


METHODS
Data were drawn from public posts between 2008-2015 on http://BecomeAnEX.org and limited to US users. We conducted "exact" and "fuzzy" searches to find posts containing ENDS keywords using custom Python scripts, and extracted geocoding data and date for each post. We examined counts and frequencies of ENDS terms by unique user, by unique user and region, and by unique user and date.


RESULTS
We identified 1023 unique US website users who had written a post containing one or more ENDS keywords. Posters were majority female (79%), educated (78% attended at least some college), and had a median age of 47 years. Overall, 92% of ENDS posters employed the term "e-cigarette" or a derivation. Derivations of "vape" became increasingly popular in 2013, whereas "NJoy" and "blu" were employed by fewer than 2% of posters. We found no variation in frequency of ENDS terms by US region.


CONCLUSIONS
Researchers may have confidence that "e-cigarette" and "vape" are recognizable terms among US treatment-seeking smokers. Conversely, terms such as "ENDS," commonly employed by researchers and public health advocates, are not used by smokers and may be an impediment to tobacco control research.


CONCLUSIONS
Researchers may have confidence that "e-cigarette," and, to a lesser extent, "vape" are recognizable terms among US adult smokers referring to ENDS (including accessories, brand names, and actions). Conversely, terms such as "electronic nicotine delivery systems," commonly employed by researchers and public health advocates, are not used by US smokers and may be an impediment to tobacco control research and practice.
Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies at Truth Initiative, Washington, DC; jpearson@truthinitiative.org.|Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
Jennifer L
JL
Pearson
Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies at Truth Initiative, Washington, DC.
Michael S
MS
Amato
Department of Management Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA.
Xi
X
Wang
Department of Management Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA.
Kang
K
Zhao
Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies at Truth Initiative, Washington, DC.
Sarah
S
Cha
Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies at Truth Initiative, Washington, DC.|Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center/ Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC.
Amy M
AM
Cohn
Center for Statistical Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI.
George D
GD
Papandonatos
Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies at Truth Initiative, Washington, DC.|Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center/ Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC.
Amanda L
AL
Graham
D000328:Adult; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008875:Middle Aged; D012929:Psychological Distance; D011639:Public Opinion; D012907:Smoking; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult