Summary
Introduction:
This article presents the findings of a study examining the perceptions of harm and benefits associated with the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among adult Malaysian men. The study is based on a nationally representative sample and compares the perceptions of current, former, and never users of conventional cigarettes and/or e-cigarettes.
Key Points:
* The study found that government employees, private sector employees, and self-employed individuals were more likely to perceive e-cigarettes as more harmful than conventional cigarettes compared with respondents who were not wage earners.
* Current users of e-cigarettes, conventional cigarettes, and dual users were more likely to perceive e-cigarettes as beneficial in aiding smoking cessation compared with never users.
* Respondents with no formal education or up to primary school education were more likely to perceive e-cigarettes as beneficial compared with respondents with higher levels of education.
* More than half of all respondents endorsed the perception that e-cigarette solutions can cause poisoning, which may deter its use as a smoking cessation aid.
* The study highlights the need for appropriate health campaigns to inform e-cigarette users of the potential for both harms and benefits associated with e-cigarette use.
* A balanced health communication perspective is needed, conveying that for all the benefits of e-cigarettes compared with conventional cigarettes, it is not risk-free.
* Findings from this study can inform targeted public health messaging strategies to prevent uptake and tailor intervention strategies according to risk groups.
Main Message:
The study provides important insights into the perceptions of e-cigarette harms and benefits among adult Malaysian men, highlighting the need for appropriate health campaigns to inform e-cigarette users of the potential for both harms and benefits associated with e-cigarette use. A balanced health communication perspective is needed, conveying that while switching from conventional cigarettes to e-cigarettes may help decrease health risks associated with the former, e-cigarettes are not without their own alternate, albeit relatively lower risks.
Citation
Chan CMH, Ab Rahman J, Tee GH, et al. Perception of Harms and Benefits of Electronic Cigarettes Among Adult Malaysian Men: A Comparison by Electronic Cigarette Use and Smoking Status. Asia-Pacific journal of public health. 2019;31(7_suppl):32S-43S. doi:10.1177/1010539519860730
