Electronic cigarette use and perceptions during COVID-19.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges to public health, influencing individual behaviors and risk perceptions.
• Understanding how lifestyle choices, such as e-cigarette use, interact with pandemic-related health concerns is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on e-cigarette user habits.
• To assess changes in risk perceptions regarding e-cigarette use and COVID-19 susceptibility and severity among users and non-users.

Main Methods:

• A national survey with 565 participants (aged 16-96) assessed e-cigarette use, perceptions, and COVID-19 status.
• A 52-item questionnaire was developed to capture vaping habits and risk perceptions before and during the pandemic.

Main Results:

• Non-users perceived e-cigarette use as increasing COVID-19 symptom severity (76%) and infection risk (28%) more than users (40% and 11%, respectively).
• During the pandemic, 32% of users increased e-cigarette use, 58% maintained use, and 25% switched to non-social vaping.
• 67% of users indicated they would decrease or stop vaping if diagnosed with COVID-19.

Conclusions:

• Significant disparities exist in perceived risks of e-cigarette use between users and non-users concerning COVID-19.
• E-cigarette users generally maintained or increased usage during the pandemic but adopted more cautious behaviors, particularly in social contexts and upon diagnosis.