“Taking up a new problem” - Context and determinants of pod-mod e-cigarette use among college students

In this article, we explore the context and determinants of pod-mod e-cigarette (ECIG) use among college students aged 18-24 in the U.S. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 55 students (mean age=20 years, 56% female, 65% White) on three campuses in the Northwest, Midwest, and Southeast. We...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Qualitative health research 2020-11, Vol.31 (4), p.703-712
Main Authors: Kava, Christine M, Soule, Eric K, Seegmiller, Laura, Gold, Emily, Snipes, William, Westfield, Taya, Wick, Noah, Afifi, Rima
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:In this article, we explore the context and determinants of pod-mod e-cigarette (ECIG) use among college students aged 18-24 in the U.S. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 55 students (mean age=20 years, 56% female, 65% White) on three campuses in the Northwest, Midwest, and Southeast. We performed a thematic analysis. Students described ECIG use by peers, increased ECIG exposure and prevalence in college, and school-related stress as reasons for vaping. Pod-mod features such as convenience, design, easy concealment, and flavors made vaping more appealing. Negative aspects of vaping included addiction, cost, and possible health consequences. Most viewed vaping as a college behavior and intended to quit after graduation. Our results show that the college environment plays a major role in young adult ECIG use. These findings can inform the development of targeted interventions to prevent and control uptake of ECIGs by young adults.
ISSN:1049-7323
DOI:10.1177/1049732320971236