Reasons for Using Electronic Cigarettes and Intentions to Quit Among Electronic Cigarette Users in Malaysia

• Published in: Journal of community health 2016-12, Vol.41 (6), p.1101-1109
• Main Authors: Wong, Li Ping, Shakir, Sharina Mahavera Mohamad, Alias, Haridah, Aghamohammadi, Nasrin, Hoe, Victor CW
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Choice Behavior; Cigarettes; Community and Environmental Psychology; Electronic cigarettes; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; Ethics; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Humans; Intention; Malaysia; Male; Marital Status; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Multivariate analysis; Nonprofessional Personnel; ORIGINAL PAPER; Peer Acceptance; Preventive Medicine; Public Health; Smoking; Smoking Cessation; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tobacco; Universities; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0094-5145; 1573-3610
• DOI: 10.1007/s10900-016-0196-4

The rapidly increasing uptake of e-cigarettes in Malaysia as of late demands a study to identify factors leading to its increased popularity and user intentions to quit smoking e-cigarettes. A convenience sample of e-cigarette smokers visiting e-cigarette retail shops in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur was recruited. The majority of e-cigarette smokers were youth in colleges or universities (39 %), and young professionals and managers (36 %). The main reasons for using e-cigarettes were to help the user quit tobacco cigarettes (88 %), the perception that e-cigarettes are not as intrusive as tobacco cigarettes (85 %) and can be used in public areas (70 %), the perception that e-cigarettes are healthier than tobacco cigarettes (85 %), and its relatively lower cost compared to tobacco cigarettes (65 %). A total of 65.3 % of respondents expressed intentions to quit e-cigarettes. In a multivariate analysis, the respondents who earned monthly income of RM1000 or less were significantly more likely to intend to quit smoking e-cigarettes [OR 1.551; 95 % CI 1.022–2.355; p = 0.015] compared to the respondents who earned a monthly income of more than RM2000. The respondents who disagreed with the statement ‘Smoking e-cigs is relatively cheaper compared to tobacco cigarettes’ were significantly more likely to intend to quit smoking e-cigarettes [OR 1.548; 95 % CI 1.045–2.293; p = 0.027] compared to respondents who did not agree. e-cigarette preventive interventions should target areas related to the identified main reasons for using e-cigarettes, namely as an aid for quitting tobacco cigarettes, the perception that e-cigarettes are not as intrusive as tobacco cigarettes and can be used in public areas, the idea that e-cigarettes are healthier than tobacco cigarettes, and its relatively lower cost compared to tobacco cigarettes.