Parental Use of Electronic Cigarettes

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatrics
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are increasingly prevalent, raising concerns about potential risks to children.
• Parental awareness and practices regarding e-cig use and safety are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe parental electronic cigarette (e-cig) use.
• To assess the safety risks associated with e-cig use in households with children.

Main Methods:

• A self-administered paper survey was completed by parents during pediatric office visits.
• Data were collected from 15 pediatric practices in a Midwestern research network between June and November 2014.
• Attitudes and use of e-cigs were reported by parents aware of these products.

Main Results:

• E-cig use was reported in 12.3% of households, with 4.0% exclusive use and 8.3% dual use with regular cigarettes.
• Many parents underestimated e-cig addictiveness and did not implement safe storage for e-liquids, despite recognizing ingestion dangers.
• Pediatrician awareness of e-cig use in the home was low (15.3%).

Conclusions:

• E-cig use is common in households with children, often co-occurring with traditional cigarette use.
• A significant gap exists in parental understanding of e-cig safety hazards and safe storage practices.
• Pediatricians have an opportunity to educate families on e-cig risks but lack awareness of patient use.