Predictors of Discontinued E-Cigarette Use at One-Year Follow-Up in a Sample of Young adults.

Abstract: Background: Currently, the research on factors associated with young adults’ discontinuation
of e-cigarette use behavior is limited. This study tested the predictors of self-reported e-cigarette
abstinence at one-year follow-up among young adult baseline current e-cigarette users. The following
variables were tested as predictors: demographics, cigarette smoking, e-cigarette use dependence,
e-cigarette use duration, harm perceptions, and preferred aspects of e-cigarette use, including sensations,
flavor, and device characteristics. Methods: Data were provided at two time-points one year
apart by 435 ethnically diverse young adults (M age = 22.3, SD = 3.1; 63% women) who reported
current e-cigarette use at baseline. Results: Approximately 42% of those who reported current ecigarette
use at baseline (i.e., 184 out of 435 participants) reported discontinuation of e-cigarette use at
one-year follow-up. Results indicated that higher e-cigarette dependence, longer history of e-cigarette
use, lower e-cigarette harm perceptions, greater preference for both menthol and sweet flavors, for
open-pod-based devices, and for e-cigarette use sensations such as buzz, taste and smell of flavors,
and throat hit at baseline were associated with lower likelihood of e-cigarette use discontinuation at
one-year follow-up. Conclusions: Characteristics associated with nicotine (e.g., dependence) and flavors
(e.g., taste and smell) appear to drive the continuation/discontinuation of e-cigarette use among
young adults. Thus, cessation strategies may need to be developed with a focus on dependence and
harm perceptions related to nicotine and flavors. Furthermore, better regulating open-pod-based
devices and sweet–menthol flavors may help e-cigarette use prevention.

Pokhrel P, Kawamoto CT, Mettias h, Elwir T, herzog T. Predictors of Discontinued E-Cigarette Use at One-Year Follow-Up in a Sample of Young adults. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2023;20(6). doi:10.3390/ijerph20064770