Association Between E-cigarette Use Behaviors and Perceived Harmfulness of E-cigarettes and Anxiety/Depression Symptoms Among Black/African American Adults

Authors

David Adzrago
Kayo Fujimoto
Melissa B Harrell
Antwan Jones
J Michael Wilkerson

Publication Date

2-1-2023

Journal

Preventive Medicine Reports

Abstract

Black/African American adults are at greater risk of experiencing negative health outcomes stemming from tobacco use, yet little research has examined e-cigarette use behavior in the Black/African American adult-only population. We examined the association between e-cigarette use behaviors (never, former, and current use) and perceived harmfulness of e-cigarette use and anxiety/depression symptoms among Black/African American adults. This cross-sectional study was a secondary analysis of nationally representative data from the 2011-2020 Health Information National Trends Survey (n = 6,268). Multinomial logit models were used to examine differences in e-cigarette use behaviors (reference group = never used e-cigarettes), given the risk factors named above. The prevalence of former and current e-cigarette use among Blacks/African Americans was 11.65 % and 3.52 %, respectively. There was a significant interaction between the perceived harmfulness of e-cigarette use and anxiety/depression. Moderate or severe anxiety/depression symptoms were associated with a higher likelihood of current e-cigarette use, but not former e-cigarette use. Compared to individuals who perceived e-cigarette use as less harmful than smoking cigarettes, those who perceived e-cigarette use as just as harmful were less likely to be current e-cigarette users. Those who perceived e-cigarette use as more harmful or were uncertain were less likely to be former or current e-cigarette users. Anxiety/depression and perceived harmfulness of e-cigarette use and their interactions were significantly associated with e-cigarette use behaviors. These findings provide an opportunity to offer tobacco cessation and prevention interventions to subgroups in this population and inform development of content for the same.

Keywords

Electronic cigarettes, Vaping, ENDS, Tobacco use, Mental health, Perception, Minority

DOI

10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.102080

PMID

36471769

PMCID

PMC9719024

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

11-30-2022

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Published Open-Access

yes