The Harm Perceptions of E-Cigarettes and Nicotine in Britain

A cross-sectional survey carried out in 2016 aimed to determine how accurately e-cigarettes are perceived amongst adolescents in Great Britain.

Diane Caruana

November 10, 2018

E-cig use seemed to be linked with accurate e-cigarette but not nicotine harm perceptions, while smoking was not associated with either.

The study titled Harm perceptions of electronic cigarettes and nicotine: A nationally representative cross-sectional survey of young people in Great Britain, surveyed 2,103 11-18-year-olds across Great Britain in 2016. The researchers calculated the prevalence of e-cigarette and nicotine harm perceptions.

The study authors also assessed associations between accurate e-cigarette and nicotine harm perceptions and smoking, e-cigarette use, gender, age, region, social grade, family smoking, family e-cigarette use, smoking friends, public approval of smoking, and public approval of e-cigarettes.

Prevalence of inaccurate harm perceptions about e-cigs and nicotine

The results indicated that many adolescents had inaccurate harm perceptions of e-cigarettes and nicotine. Additionally e-cigarette use seemed to be linked with accurate e-cigarette but not nicotine harm perceptions, while smoking was not associated with either.

“Most (63.4%) accurate e-cigarette harm perceptions were higher among those aged 16+ (OR = 1.89 [95%CI = 1.45-2.47]), 14-15 (OR = 1.29 [1.00-1.65]), who tried/used an e-cigarette sometimes (OR = 1.51 [1.03-2.21]), with family e-cigarette use (OR = 2.11 [1.46-3.04]), who perceived public disapproval of smoking (OR = 2.11 [1.18-3.77]) and approval of e-cigarettes (OR = 2.44 [1.73-3.45]), and with accurate nicotine harm perceptions (OR = 2.05 [1.28-3.28]),” said the study abstract.