E-cigarette use 1 year later in a population-based prospective cohort

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Tobacco Control
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) use prevalence estimates vary significantly based on the definition of 'use'.
• Previous research indicated that 'use frequency' could refine prevalence estimates by excluding experimental users in adult populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the predictive validity of ENDS use frequency for assessing the likelihood of continued ENDS use.
• To determine the association between ENDS use frequency and cigarette smoking abstinence.

Main Methods:

• A follow-up study reassessed ENDS use and cigarette smoking in 601 adult respondents from the 2014 Minnesota Adult Tobacco Survey.
• Respondents were recontacted approximately one year after initial survey participation.

Main Results:

• Fewer than half (27%) of baseline ENDS users reporting 1-5 days of use in the past 30 days reported any ENDS use at follow-up.
• A significantly higher proportion (89%) of daily ENDS users at baseline reported continued use at follow-up.
• Respondents using ENDS on more than 5 days but less than daily showed a 37% likelihood of subsequent use, not significantly different from chance.

Conclusions:

• The definition of 'current use' in adult population surveys, such as 'any use in the past 30 days,' may include many individuals who discontinue use within a year.
• Careful selection of ENDS use definitions is essential for researchers to ensure accurate and reliable prevalence estimates.
• Standardization of ENDS use measures is needed to improve the consistency and comparability of research findings.