Tracking e-Cigarette Attitudes and Cessation Trajectories in a Longitudinal Study of Youth and Young Adults

PurposeTo examine associations between e-cigarette attitudes and cessation trajectories among youth and young adults in a longitudinal study.DesignAnalysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models were conducted to test differences in changes across quitting trajectory groups in anti-industry and independence from e-cigarette scale scores at two follow-up time points.SettingData were obtained from participants of the Truth Longitudinal Cohort (TLC), a probability-based sample of youth and young adults (aged 15-29 years) residing in the United States.SampleThe analytic sample (N = 500) included respondents who were current users of e-cigarettes at baseline (collected January-June 2022).MeasuresThe five quitting trajectory groups were based on past 30-day e-cigarette use and quit attempts at two follow-up time points (October 2022-February 2023, August-December 2023). The dependent variable was anti-industry and independence from e-cigarette attitudes at each time point.AnalysisChi-square tests of differences and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to determine differences in sociodemographic and baseline characteristics across trajectory groups. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models were conducted to test the z-score differences in scale scores across trajectory groups, adjusted for sociodemographic or baseline characteristics.ResultsSignificant differences in the average independence from e-cigarettes score were found between baseline and the first follow-up (F = 2.42, P = .026) and between baseline and second follow-ups (F = 3.40, P = .003). Post-hoc tests revealed that groups who successfully quit showed a significant time-correspondent increase in these attitudes compared to other groups. Similar patterns were not found for anti-industry attitudes.ConclusionIncreases in independence from e-cigarette attitudes were related to successful quitting trajectories, while anti-industry attitudes were not.