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USAGE PATTERNS, PERCEIVED HEALTH EFFECTS, AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG YOUNG ADULT ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE USERS

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Electronic cigarettes (EC) are devices that deliver nicotine and other substances by heating a liquid solution to produce an aerosol that is inhaled. Popularity of EC use among college students and young adults has increased dramatically over the last decade, with a scarcity of research investigating the potential deleterious impact on health and well-being. Identifying associations between EC use, perceived health effects, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) may provide valuable insights into lifestyle factors and conditions linked to EC use in young adults. METHODS: Targeted social media advertising was used to collect a convenience, respondent-driven sample of EC users. Subjects (ages 21-45 years) completed an online questionnaire that included measures of tobacco and EC use, perceived health effects, HRQoL assessed using the brief version of World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF), and sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: Survey respondents were predominantly young adults, 67% of whom identified as former cigarette smokers. Former smokers (62%) reported perceiving EC use as less harmful than tobacco cigarettes, compared to 30% of current smokers (p=.010). The majority (92.4%) of participants reported at least one adverse health effect attributable to EC use. WHOQOL-BREF scores were as follows: overall QOL (63.32 ± 20.45), physical health (60.44 ± 9.74), psychological well-being (60.51 ± 11.30), social relationships (64.31 ± 16.31), and environment (64.91 ± 12.97). The linear combination of QOL scores was significantly different based on smoking status (p=.008). CONCLUSIONS: The present study contributes to the limited literature on the associations of EC use with perceived health and HRQoL, especially in young adult populations. These associations may also identify groups most likely in need of targeted interventions to reduce health-related inequalities.

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