Factors Associated with Electronic Cigarette Use in a Population-Based Sample in the US.

Factors Associated with Electronic Cigarette Use in a Population-Based Sample in the US. Noah C. Peeri1 Ashvita Garg1 Bingchun Wan1 Karabi Nandy1 1University of North Texas Health Science Center, School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Ft. Worth, TX Purpose Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are lithium-ion battery powered devices that deliver nicotine vapor by heating a coil immersed in a solution of nicotine, propylene glycol, or some other humectant, delivering nicotine and flavor to the users’ lungs. They are often marketed as devices for cessation of traditional cigarette smoking. However, they are not considered an entirely safe option because they contain nicotine, lead, volatile organic compounds, and known carcinogenic agents. This work examined the prevalence and patterns of electronic cigarette use in a recent population-based sample of the US. Methods Utilizing data from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS), 529,714 participants aged 18 and older were included in the analysis. E-cigarette user status was defined as current, former and never. Weighted multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Prevalence of current, former and never users of e-cigarette were 3.2%, 12.3% and 84.5%, respectively. Females had higher odds of being current e-cigarette users, compared to being former (OR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.06,1.30) and never users (OR:1.52; 95% CI:1.38,1.67). Older age was associated with higher odds of current use, with a significantly increasing trend with age (ptrend Conclusions Utilizing data from a cross sectional nationally representative sample of the united states, we identified factors associated with current, former and never users of e-cigarette. This information could inform intervention strategies for groups at highest risk of e-cigarette use.