E-cigarettes or vaping: examining perceptions of use and associated harm among current users in Australia and Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: E-cigarettes or vaping are currently increasing in popularity among smokers globally. This study aims to examine the perceptions of e-cigarette users regarding use and associated harm. Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted during July 2017 among members of different popular online forums in Australia and Bangladesh, who were current or ex-users of e-cigarettes. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data anonymously using Qualtrics. Results: There were 452 study participants, mean age was 39(±13.2) years and 80%(n=356) were men. Half of them (n=223) resided in Australia and 32%(n=143) in Bangladesh. Three in four participants (77%) lived in metropolitan areas, 47% were married, 33% had undergraduate level of education, a fifth of them were either professionals or employed. More than three quarters (76%) of respondents were not current smokers and 40% of them quit smoking 1-5 years ago. Three quarters of the current smokers (76%) tried to quit smoking cigarettes in the last 12 months. Almost all of the participants (96%) were using e-cigarettes daily and 94% of them had nicotine in the e-liquid used. The average amount of e-liquid used, nicotine strengths and duration of use were 8.2(±6.9) ml/day, 6.7(±5.8) mg/ml, and 25.2(±23.3) months respectively. Reasons for using e-cigarettes were to reduce/quit cigarette smoking (91%), good taste/flavor (50%), low cost (41%), safe to use (39%) and can be used indoor/ smoke free areas (33%). The majority of respondents (81%) perceived e-cigarettes as less harmful than cigarettes and 65% perceived them as less addictive. The majority of respondents (88%) did not try to stop using e-cigarettes, however, 75% of them had an intention to discontinue in the next five years. Conclusions: E-cigarettes were primarily used for reducing/ quitting cigarettes, which supports prior evidence regarding the effectiveness of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation.