Using Cognitive Interviewing to Better Assess Young Adult E-cigarette Use

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Survey Methodology
• Tobacco Control Research

Background:

• Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) use is prevalent among young adults, posing challenges for accurate research assessment.
• Existing survey tools struggle to capture the nuances of ENDS use, including device types, frequency, and quantity.
• Cognitive interviews offer a method to understand participant interpretation of survey questions and improve data collection tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To utilize cognitive interviews to refine a young adult survey for assessing ENDS use.
• To improve the accuracy of questions related to the quantity, frequency, initiation, and reasons for ENDS product use.
• To enhance the comprehension and response processes for ENDS-related survey items.

Main Methods:

• Conducted individual cognitive interviews with 25 college students (ages 18-32) who use ENDS.
• Assessed question comprehension, answer estimation, retrieval processes, and response processes for survey items.
• Modified survey questions based on participant feedback, including adding visual aids and specific terminology.

Main Results:

• Identified comprehension issues distinguishing between ENDS device types (e.g., cigalikes, vape pens).
• Observed difficulties in accurately estimating ENDS use as a drug delivery system and quantifying consumption (e.g., e-juice volume, nicotine concentration).
• Improvements in comprehension and estimation were noted when visual aids and specific language (naming nicotine) were incorporated.

Conclusions:

• Cognitive interviews provide critical insights into survey interpretation challenges for ENDS use assessment.
• Developing clear, quantifiable survey questions is essential for accurate research on ENDS consumption.
• Future research should focus on diverse ENDS devices and user populations to develop robust assessment tools for public health professionals.