Consumers' Preferences for Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Product Features: A Structured Content Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Consumer behavior research
• Public health
• Regulatory science

Background:

• Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are increasingly prevalent.
• Understanding consumer preferences for ENDS is crucial for developing effective regulations.
• Existing research may not fully capture age and gender-specific ENDS feature importance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) product features valued by U.S. consumers.
• To analyze these preferences across different age groups and genders.
• To provide data to inform potential governmental regulations on ENDS.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative data collection through focus groups and individual interviews.
• Participant recruitment based on age and gender demographics, including young adults, middle-aged adults, and women.
• Structured content analysis of participant discussions on ENDS features.

Main Results:

• Twelve important ENDS features were identified, including user experience, social acceptability, cost, health impacts, ease of use, flavors, cessation aid, nicotine content, modifiability, regulation, transition from cigarettes, and collectability.
• Young adults prioritized modifiability, while middle-aged and older adults focused on user experience.
• Women participants emphasized flavors, highlighting demographic differences in feature importance.

Conclusions:

• Consumer preferences for electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) features are diverse and influenced by age and gender.
• These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and regulatory bodies.
• Tailored regulatory approaches may be necessary to address varied consumer needs and perceptions of ENDS.