Reasons for continued usage of ENDS: Differences by device and liquid characteristics among US adults.

INTRODUCTION: Motivations for using electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) include quitting or reducing cigarette smoking, flavor, and addiction. This study examines whether the primary reason for continued ENDS usage changes over time, and its association with device and liquid characteristics. METHODS: Data are from a longitudinal cohort study and include 526 US adults (≥21 years) using ENDS frequently (≥5 days/week) as self-reported, and uploaded photos of their most used ENDS devices and liquids and self-reported primary reason for continued ENDS usage in wave 2 (December 2020-April 2021) and wave 5 (February-April 2023). Device-liquid grouping was defined by device (disposable/disposable pod/refillable pod/tank, adjustable/no adjustable settings) and liquid (salt/freebase) characteristics. A device was classified as having adjustable settings if it allowed users to modify the power, coil, or airflow. Data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regressions and McNemar tests. RESULTS: From wave 2 to 5, the primary reason for continued ENDS usage significantly changed, with more participants reporting addiction (29.2% vs 34.6%, p<0.001); and significantly more participants used disposable devices (salt, no adjustable settings) (7.9% vs 25.2%, p<0.001). Compared to those using tanks (freebase, adjustable settings), participants using devices with nicotine salt liquids were more likely to report addiction (AOR>2; 95% CI: 1.12-8.19); and participants using disposable devices (salt, no adjustable settings) were less likely to report quitting/reducing smoking as the primary ENDS use reason after controlling for smoking status and sociodemographic characteristics (AOR<0.6; 95% CI: 0.14-0.995). CONCLUSIONS: Over a 2.5-year period, the proportion of participants continuing to use ENDS at least 5 days/week because of addiction grew, and participants' motivations varied by device-liquid grouping. Restrictions on nicotine salts may disproportionately impact those using ENDS because of addiction; and regulations targeting tanks with freebase liquids may disproportionately impact those using ENDS for smoking cessation/reduction.

Reasons reported by women for choosing the levonorgestrel intrauterine system as a contraceptive method.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reasons provided by women for choosing the use of the 52 mg levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) as a contraceptive method. METHODS: We conducted a cross sectional study from January 2021 to August 2021 at the University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil. Women who had never used the 52 mg LNG-IUS and were requesting it for contraception answered a questionnaire asking for their sociodemographic characteristics, the last contraceptive method in use, how they received information about the device, and their main reasons for choosing the method. RESULTS: We enrolled 516 women, 365 (70.7%) of whom were under the age of 35 and 352 (68.2%) of whom were parous. The last contraceptive method in use was a short-acting reversible method among 387 (80.8%) women, 454 (88%) reported that they wanted to use the IUS only for contraception, and the main source of information was their health care providers. The main reported reasons for choosing the method were because it is safe, has high contraceptive efficacy, and reduces menstrual bleeding. CONCLUSION: Health care providers should continue their efforts to provide guidance about the LNG-IUS, including the non-contraceptive benefits, which may contribute to a reduction in the number of unplanned pregnancies.

Who is using and why: Prevalence and perceptions of using and not using electronic cigarettes in a statewide survey of adults.

A statewide survey examined prevalence, reasons for using, discontinuing use, and not wanting to try e-cigarettes. METHODS: Participants (n = 6052) were adult Minnesota residents. E-cigarette initiation and current use prevalence rates were calculated for demographic characteristics and smoking status. The percent of respondents endorsing a reason for trying e-cigarettes are reported overall and by smoking status. The percent of respondents endorsing each reason for discontinuing or not using e-cigarettes are reported for daily and occasional smokers. All descriptive analyses were weighted. To develop profiles of e-cigarette users, a latent class analysis (LCA) was undertaken. RESULTS: Overall, 20.7% of adults reported ever use and 4.6% were current users. Use varied notably by age and smoking status. Only 2.8% of never smokers were current e-cigarette users. Among young adults, 14.6% reported current use but most (70.0%) were never smokers. The reasons given for using e-cigarettes varied by smoking status. Curiosity was the top reason for all groups except recent former smokers, for whom cutting down or quitting other tobacco products was primary. Most smokers discontinuing e-cigarettes preferred cigarettes, and four-fifths of smokers who never tried e-cigarettes lacked interest. From the LCA four profiles were evident: young adult experimenters, curious adults, smokers trying to quit cigarettes, and dual users. CONCLUSIONS: Innovative higher nicotine content devices have sustained interest in e-cigarettes especially among young adults and smokers with a goal of cutting down or quitting smoking. Future regulations and communication should focus on reducing e-cigarette use among young adult nonsmokers.

Reasons to use e-cigarettes among adults and youth in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study.

BACKGROUND: While e-cigarette use is increasing, reasons to use e-cigarettes are poorly summarized in the literature. The objective of this study was to organize reasons to use e-cigarette items into factors and determine associations between these factors and e-cigarette user characteristics. METHODS: Data were drawn from youth (12-17) and adults (18+) in Wave 1 (2013-2014) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on 13 reasons to use survey items from experimental and established adult e-cigarette users and past 30 day youth e-cigarette users to determine two factors - "alternative to cigarettes" and "larger social environment". Weighted linear regression models tested the associations between e-cigarette user group and sociodemographics and reasons to use factors among youth and adults. RESULTS: Adult current established e-cigarette users were associated with both alternative to cigarettes (ß = 0.128, p < .001) and larger social environment (ß = 0.063, p < .001) factors, while former established e-cigarette users were associated with alternative to cigarettes (ß = 0.064, p < .001). Several adult sociodemographic characteristics were associated with one but not the other factor, or both but in opposite directions. Youth that used e-cigarettes earlier today were also associated with both reasons to use factors (ß = 0.127-0.130, p < .01, each); however, youth using any other day in the past 30 days was not associated with either factor. CONCLUSIONS: Reasons to use are associated with patterns of e-cigarette use among youth and adults. These factors could support a comprehensive approach to addressing rising e-cigarette use among youth and adults and target certain user populations.