E-cigarette Smoking and Colorectal Cancer Screening

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Cancer Prevention
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is crucial for early detection and improved outcomes.
• E-cigarette use is a growing public health concern with evolving usage patterns.
• Understanding health screening behaviors among diverse populations, including e-cigarette users, is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare colorectal cancer (CRC) screening practices between individuals who use e-cigarettes and those who do not.
• To identify factors associated with CRC screening participation in the context of e-cigarette use.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 5).
• Analyzed a cross-sectional study of 6963 participants aged 45-75 years, assessing demographics, CRC screening status, and e-cigarette use.
• Employed chi-squared tests and multivariate logistic regression to compare screening rates and associated factors.

Main Results:

• E-cigarette users (2.6% of participants) were not significantly more or less likely to undergo CRC screening compared to non-users [OR 1.40; 95% CI (0.74, 2.66)].
• Factors positively associated with CRC screening included older age, higher education, health insurance, primary care access, and a history of cancer or comorbidities.
• E-cigarette use prevalence decreased with age, and users were more likely to be uninsured and current tobacco smokers.

Conclusions:

• Current e-cigarette use was not associated with differences in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening participation.
• While current screening behaviors may not be impacted, continued surveillance is recommended as the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes and their influence on screening practices remain uncertain.