Motives and perceptions regarding electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use among adults with mental health conditions

Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of a study examining the motivations and perceptions of electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) use among adults with and without mental health conditions (MHC). The study aims to understand the reasons for ENDS use and risk perceptions among individuals with MHC, as this population has higher rates of smoking and is at heightened risk for tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. The findings of this study can inform public health messaging about ENDS for this priority population.

Key Points:

* The study used data from the 2015 Tobacco Products and Risk Perceptions Survey conducted by the Georgia State University Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science.
* Participants were asked about their reasons for ENDS use and risk perceptions, and those with MHC were compared to those without MHC, stratified by smoking status.
* There were no significant associations between MHC status and reasons for ENDS use or risk perceptions in the overall sample.
* However, former smokers with MHC rated several reasons for ENDS use (e.g., less harmful than regular cigarettes, to quit smoking, appealing flavors) as more important than those without MHC.
* Former smokers with MHC also reported thinking less about potential harms of ENDS than those without MHC.
* Current smokers with MHC indicated thinking more about how ENDS might improve their health compared to those without MHC.
* The study suggests that adults with MHC may be especially optimistic about health benefits of ENDS but may also be prone to health risks of continued ENDS use or concurrent use with traditional cigarettes.

Main Message:
The findings of this study highlight the importance of providing accurate information about benefits and risks of ENDS to adults with MHC. Public health messaging should emphasize to smokers with MHC that ENDS could offer a less harmful alternative to smoking but that continued dual use could be counterproductive. It may also be important to communicate to former smokers with MHC that while ENDS use is less harmful than smoking, it is not without health risks. Overall, the study underscores the need for tailored public health messaging for adults with MHC, a population at heightened risk for tobacco-related disparities.

Spears, Claire Adams, Dina M. Jones, Scott R. Weaver, Terry F. Pechacek, and Michael P. Eriksen. “Motives and Perceptions Regarding Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) Use among Adults with Mental Health Conditions.” Addictive Behaviors 80 (May 2018): 102–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.01.014.