Changes in Family Physicians’ Perceptions of Electronic Cigarettes in Tobacco Use Counseling Between 2016 and 2019

Changes in Family Physicians’ Perceptions of Electronic Cigarettes

Authors

  • Samuel Ofei-Dodoo University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita
  • Jennifer Wipperman, M.D., MPH
  • Ruth Nutting, Ph.D.
  • Karissa Gilchrist, M.D.
  • Rick Kellerman, M.D.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17161/kjm.vol13.13877

Keywords:

electronic cigarettes, family physician, lung injury, tobacco use cessation, Kansas

Abstract

Introduction: Given the recent reports of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) and harm of e-cigarettes, the authors evaluated changes in the perception of e-cigarettes as smoking cessation tools in 2019 relative to 2016. The authors also evaluated the sources family physicians most commonly use to receive information regarding e-cigarettes.

Methods: Authors conducted a cross-sectional online survey of 248 community family physicians in Kansas from October to December 2019. The authors used a 11-item questionnaire to measure the participants’ perceptions of recommending e-cigarettes to patients for tobacco cessation. The authors used a mixed method approach to collect, analyze, and interpret the data. Standard descriptive statistics, Likelihood-Ratio/Fisher’s exact tests, and immersion-crystallization approached were used to analyze the data.

Results: The response rate was 59.3% (147/248). Proportion of the family physicians who did not recommend e-cigarettes for smoking cessation was significantly higher in 2019 than in 2016 (86% vs 82%; χ2 [1, n = 261] = 12.31; P < .01). Several reasons regarding respondents’ perception of e-cigarettes as smoking cessation tools were reported. The medical literature and news media were the top sources where family physicians accessed e-cigarettes information.

Conclusion: Our study has suggested that the majority of family physicians in our data do not currently recommend e-cigarettes for tobacco cessation. Opinions regarding the efficacy and safety of e-cigarettes are influenced by information source. Future, larger studies would be beneficial to further determine physicians’ beliefs and practices regarding e-cigarettes as smoking cessation products.

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Published

2020-12-11

Issue

Section

Original Research

How to Cite

Ofei-Dodoo, S., Wipperman, J., Nutting, R., Gilchrist, K., & Kellerman, R. (2020). Changes in Family Physicians’ Perceptions of Electronic Cigarettes in Tobacco Use Counseling Between 2016 and 2019: Changes in Family Physicians’ Perceptions of Electronic Cigarettes . Kansas Journal of Medicine, 13(1), 311-317. https://doi.org/10.17161/kjm.vol13.13877