Young Adults’ Perceptions of the Health Effects of E-Cigarette Use

INTRODUCTION: Few data exist regarding users’ perceptions of e-cigarettes health effects, yet awareness of effects decreases likelihood of nicotine use. As Emergency Departments (EDs) are a common touchpoint for substance use intervention, identifying user perceptions can guide targeted cessation efforts. It is unclear whether medical education adequately prepares students to discuss potential health risks of e-cigarettes. This study examined e-cigarette use and perceptions of health effects among medical students and similarly aged ED patients as well as students’ confidence counseling patients on e-cigarette use. METHODS: A survey examining e-cigarette use and perceptions of associated health effects was conducted among KUMC ED patients aged 18 to 35 who admitted use of e-cigarettes and KU School of Medicine (SOM) students. RESULTS: Ninety ED patients and 187 SOM students were surveyed. Fewer ED patients than SOM students perceived e-cigarettes to cause lung injury (77.8%, n = 70 vs. 94.7%%, n = 177, p = 0.032), cancer (82.2%, n = 74 vs. 91.4%, n = 170, p = 0.003), and heart disease (70.0%, n = 63 vs. 84.0%, n=157, p=0.009). Fifty-four percent of SOM students reported low confidence in e-cigarette counseling. ED patients were less likely to perceive e-cigarette health risks than SOM students. Most participants were generally aware of health risks associated with e-cigarette use. SOM students reported low confidence in counseling patients on e-cigarette use, suggesting room for curricular improvement as reliable data on health effects of e-cigarettes emerges. CONCLUSIONS: This study’s small sample size and single SOM inclusion limit generalizability. Understanding ED patients’ perceptions is key to developing brief cessation intervention material for use in the ED.