| Peer-Reviewed

E-cigarette in Malaysia: Reasons for Initiating of Electronic Cigarettes Among Hospital and Clinic Patients and Visitors

Received: 3 May 2021    Accepted: 24 May 2021    Published: 23 August 2021
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

The prevalence of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) use has been increased and became a global concern. This cross-sectional study among adults in Malaysia determined the knowledge of e-cigarettes, the association between the factors of initiating e-cigarettes use and usage status, the predicting factors of initiating e-cigarettes use and the reasons for the users to stop using it. A total of 1254 respondents completed a self-constructed questionnaire on socio-demographics, knowledge, reasons for e-cigarettes initiation and cessation. Results showed that the majority of them (73.6%) were aware of e-cigarette's existence, while 13.2% were e-cigarettes users. A significant association was found between curiosity to try and usage status in which former user has a higher curiosity to try (55.7%) than the currents users (p=0.004). A variety of flavours has a significant association between usage status as current users (58.8%) used e-cigarettes due to a variety of flavours than the former users (38.6%) (p=0.044). The findings showed that curiosity to try and e-cigarettes are safer are the predictors of initiating e-cigarettes. The respondents who believe that e-cigarettes are safer than tobacco cigarettes have 6.12 times chance to initiate using e-cigarette when considering other factors (OR=6.12, p=0.018). Meanwhile, those who used e-cigarettes because of the curiosity to try had 0.32 times the chance to initiate e-cigarettes use (OR=0.32, p=0.018). This study observed a low knowledge related to e-cigarettes and the significant predicting factor of initiating were a curiosity to try and e-cigarettes is safer. This study reported the main reason smokers quit using e-cigarettes was it did not give satisfaction compared to conventional cigarettes, while for non-smoker was due to worry about the danger of e-cigarettes. Therefore, appropriate information on e-cigarettes should be adequately disseminated to the general population to promote healthy behaviours and positive attitudes toward smoking.

Published in Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 9, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13
Page(s) 135-141
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Electronic Cigarettes, E-cigarettes, Knowledge, Initiation, Adult

References
[1] Etter, J. F. (2010). Electronic cigarettes: A survey of users. BMC Public Health, 10 (231), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-231
[2] Brandon, T. H., Goniewicz, M. L., Hanna, N. H., Hatsukami, D. K., Herbst, R. S., Hobin, J. A., Ostroff, J. S., Shields, P. G., Toll, B. A., Tyne, C. A., Viswanath, K., & Warren, G. W. (2015). Electronic nicotine delivery systems: A policy statement from the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Clinical Cancer Research, 21 (3), 514–525. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-14-2544
[3] Ayers, J. W., Ribisl, K. M., & Brownstein, J. S. (2011). Tracking the rise in popularity of electronic nicotine delivery systems (electronic cigarettes) using search query surveillance. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 40 (4), 448–453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2010.12.007
[4] Bullen, C., López-Núñez, C., & Knight-West, O. (2016). E-cigarettes in smoking cessation: A harm reduction perspective. Clinical Pharmacist, 8 (4), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1211/CP.2016.20200851
[5] Notley, C., Ward, E., Dawkins, L., & Holland, R. (2018). The unique contribution of e-cigarettes for tobacco harm reduction in supporting smoking relapse prevention. Harm Reduction Journal, 15 (1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-018-0237-7
[6] Martínez-Sánchez, J. M., Fu, M., Martín-Sánchez, J. C., Ballbè, M., Saltó, E., & Fernández, E. (2015). Perception of electronic cigarettes in the general population: does their usefulness outweigh their risks? BMJ Open, 5(11), e009218. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009218
[7] Pepper, J. K., Emery, S. L., Ribisl, K. M., Rini, C. M., & Brewer, N. T. (2015). How risky is it to use e-cigarettes? Smokers’ beliefs about their health risks from using novel and traditional tobacco products Jessica. Journal of Behaviour Medicine, 38 (2), 318–326. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-014-9605-2.
[8] Tan, A. S. L., & Bigman, C. A. (2014). E-cigarette awareness and perceived harmfulness: Prevalence and associations with smoking-cessation outcomes. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 47 (2), 141–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2014.02.011
[9] Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education. (2014). 129 public health and medical authorities from 31 countries write WHO DG Chan urging evidence-based approach to ecigs. https://tobacco.ucsf.edu/sites/g/files/tkssra4661/f/u9/Chan-letter-June16 PST FINAL with 129 sigs.pdf
[10] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Dual use of tobacco products. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/dual-tobacco-use.html
[11] Bernat, D., Gasquet, N., Wilson, K. O. D., Porter, L., & Choi, K. (2018). Electronic cigarette harm and benefit perceptions and use among youth. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 55 (3), 361–367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2018.04.043
[12] Trumbo, C. W., & Harper, R. (2013). Use and perception of electronic cigarettes among college students. Journal of American College Health, 61 (3), 149–155. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2013.776052.Us13.
[13] Institute of Public Health. (2012). Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) Malaysia 2011. National Institute of Health, Ministry of Health.
[14] Weaver, S. R., Majeed, B. A., Pechacek, T. F., Nyman, A. L., Gregory, K. R., & Eriksen, M. P. (2016). Use of electronic nicotine delivery systems and other tobacco products among USA adults, 2014: Results from a national survey. International Journal of Public Health, 61 (2), 177–188. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-015-0761
[15] Sutfin, E. L., McCoy, T. P., Morrell, H. E. R., Hoeppner, B. B., & Wolfson, M. (2013). Electronic cigarette use by college students. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 131 (3), 214–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.05.001
[16] Pepper, J K, Ribisl, K. M., & Brewer, N. T. (2016). Adolescents’ interest in trying flavoured e-cigarettes. Tobacco Control, 25, ii62–ii66. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016-053174
[17] Dawood, O. T., Rashan, M. A., Hassali, M. A., & Saleem, F. (2016). Knowledge and perception about health risks of cigarette smoking among Iraqi smokers. Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences, 8 (2), 146–151. https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-7406.171738
[18] Park, J., Lim, M. K., Hwa Yun, E., Oh, J. K., Jeong, B. Y., Cheon, Y., & Lim, S. (2018). Influences of tobacco-related knowledge on awareness and behavior towards smoking. Journal of Korean Medical Science, 33 (47), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2018.33.e302
[19] Choi, K., & Forster, J. (2013). Characteristics associated with awareness, perceptions, and use of electronic nicotine delivery systems among young US Midwestern adults. Research and Practice, 103 (3), 556–561. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300947
[20] Wackowski, O. A., Bover Manderski, M. T., & Delnevo, C. D. (2015). Smokers’ sources of e-cigarette awareness and risk information. Preventive Medicine Reports, 2, 906–910. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2015.10.006
[21] Kanyadan, V., & Ganti, L. (2019). E-cigarette awareness among young adults: A Pilot Survey Study. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.5234
[22] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2016). E-cigarette use among youth and young adults: A report of the surgeon general. In JAMA Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.4662
[23] Surís, J.-C., Berchtold, A., & Akre, C. (2015). Reasons to use e-cigarettes and associations with other substances among adolescents in Switzerland. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 153, 140–144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.05.034
[24] Lee, J., Lee, S., & Cho, H.-J. (2017). The relation between frequency of e-cigarette use and frequency and intensity of cigarette smoking among South Korean adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14 (3), 305. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14030305
[25] Biener, L., Song, E., Sutfin, E. L., Spangler, J., & Wolfson, M. (2015). Electronic cigarette trial and use among young adults: Reasons for trial and cessation of vaping. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12 (12), 16019–16026. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph121215039
[26] Sutfin, E. L., Reboussin, B. A., Debinski, B., Wagoner, K. G., Spangler, J., & Wolfson, M. (2015). The impact of trying electronic cigarettes on cigarette smoking by college students: A prospective analysis. American Journal of Public Health, 105 (8), e83–e89. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302707
[27] Wadsworth, E., Neale, J., McNeill, A., & Hitchman, S. C. (2016). How and why do smokers start using e-cigarettes? Qualitative study of vapers in London, UK. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13 (7). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13070661
[28] Chen, J. C., Das, B., Mead, E. L., & Borzekowski, D. L. G. (2019). Flavored e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking susceptibility among youth. 3 (1), 68–80. https://doi.org/10.18001/TRS.3.1.7.Flavored
[29] Russell, C., McKeganey, N., Dickson, T., & Nides, M. (2018). Changing patterns of first e-cigarette flavor used and current flavors used by 20,836 adult frequent e-cigarette users in the USA. Harm Reduction Journal, 15 (1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-018-0238-6
[30] Mantey, D. S., Cooper, M. R., Clendennen, S. L., Pasch, K. E., & Perry, C. L. (2016). E-cigarette marketing exposure is associated with e-cigarette use among US youth. Journal of Adolescent Health, 58 (6), 686–690. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.03.003
[31] Etter, J. F. (2015). Explaining the effects of electronic cigarettes on craving for tobacco in recent quitters. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 148, 102–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.12.03
[32] Hrywna, M., Bover Manderski, M. T., & Delnevo, C. D. (2020). Prevalence of electronic cigarette use among adolescents in New Jersey and association with social factors. JAMA Network Open, 3 (2), e1920961. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.20961
[33] Soteriades, S., Barbouni, A., Rachiotis, G., Grevenitou, P., Mouchtouri, V., Pinaka, O., Dadouli, K., & Hadjichristodoulou, C. (2020). Prevalence of electronic cigarette use and its determinants among 13-to-15-year-old students in greece: results from the 2013 global youth tobacco survey (GYTS). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (5). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17051671
[34] Walker, N., Parag, V., Wong, S. F., Youdan, B., Broughton, B., Bullen, C., & Beaglehole, R. (2020). Use of e-cigarettes and smoked tobacco in youth aged 14–15 years in New Zealand: findings from repeated cross-sectional studies (2014–19). The Lancet Public Health, 5 (4), e204–e212. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30241-5
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Abu Bakar Rahman, Mohamad Irwan Sai’din, Nurashma Juatan, Manimaran Krishnan, Zaikiah Mohd Zin, et al. (2021). E-cigarette in Malaysia: Reasons for Initiating of Electronic Cigarettes Among Hospital and Clinic Patients and Visitors. Science Journal of Public Health, 9(4), 135-141. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Abu Bakar Rahman; Mohamad Irwan Sai’din; Nurashma Juatan; Manimaran Krishnan; Zaikiah Mohd Zin, et al. E-cigarette in Malaysia: Reasons for Initiating of Electronic Cigarettes Among Hospital and Clinic Patients and Visitors. Sci. J. Public Health 2021, 9(4), 135-141. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Abu Bakar Rahman, Mohamad Irwan Sai’din, Nurashma Juatan, Manimaran Krishnan, Zaikiah Mohd Zin, et al. E-cigarette in Malaysia: Reasons for Initiating of Electronic Cigarettes Among Hospital and Clinic Patients and Visitors. Sci J Public Health. 2021;9(4):135-141. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13,
      author = {Abu Bakar Rahman and Mohamad Irwan Sai’din and Nurashma Juatan and Manimaran Krishnan and Zaikiah Mohd Zin and Normawati Ahmad and Mohd Yusoff Adon and Siti Fathiah Mohamed},
      title = {E-cigarette in Malaysia: Reasons for Initiating of Electronic Cigarettes Among Hospital and Clinic Patients and Visitors},
      journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {9},
      number = {4},
      pages = {135-141},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20210904.13},
      abstract = {The prevalence of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) use has been increased and became a global concern. This cross-sectional study among adults in Malaysia determined the knowledge of e-cigarettes, the association between the factors of initiating e-cigarettes use and usage status, the predicting factors of initiating e-cigarettes use and the reasons for the users to stop using it. A total of 1254 respondents completed a self-constructed questionnaire on socio-demographics, knowledge, reasons for e-cigarettes initiation and cessation. Results showed that the majority of them (73.6%) were aware of e-cigarette's existence, while 13.2% were e-cigarettes users. A significant association was found between curiosity to try and usage status in which former user has a higher curiosity to try (55.7%) than the currents users (p=0.004). A variety of flavours has a significant association between usage status as current users (58.8%) used e-cigarettes due to a variety of flavours than the former users (38.6%) (p=0.044). The findings showed that curiosity to try and e-cigarettes are safer are the predictors of initiating e-cigarettes. The respondents who believe that e-cigarettes are safer than tobacco cigarettes have 6.12 times chance to initiate using e-cigarette when considering other factors (OR=6.12, p=0.018). Meanwhile, those who used e-cigarettes because of the curiosity to try had 0.32 times the chance to initiate e-cigarettes use (OR=0.32, p=0.018). This study observed a low knowledge related to e-cigarettes and the significant predicting factor of initiating were a curiosity to try and e-cigarettes is safer. This study reported the main reason smokers quit using e-cigarettes was it did not give satisfaction compared to conventional cigarettes, while for non-smoker was due to worry about the danger of e-cigarettes. Therefore, appropriate information on e-cigarettes should be adequately disseminated to the general population to promote healthy behaviours and positive attitudes toward smoking.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - E-cigarette in Malaysia: Reasons for Initiating of Electronic Cigarettes Among Hospital and Clinic Patients and Visitors
    AU  - Abu Bakar Rahman
    AU  - Mohamad Irwan Sai’din
    AU  - Nurashma Juatan
    AU  - Manimaran Krishnan
    AU  - Zaikiah Mohd Zin
    AU  - Normawati Ahmad
    AU  - Mohd Yusoff Adon
    AU  - Siti Fathiah Mohamed
    Y1  - 2021/08/23
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13
    T2  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JF  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JO  - Science Journal of Public Health
    SP  - 135
    EP  - 141
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-7950
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13
    AB  - The prevalence of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) use has been increased and became a global concern. This cross-sectional study among adults in Malaysia determined the knowledge of e-cigarettes, the association between the factors of initiating e-cigarettes use and usage status, the predicting factors of initiating e-cigarettes use and the reasons for the users to stop using it. A total of 1254 respondents completed a self-constructed questionnaire on socio-demographics, knowledge, reasons for e-cigarettes initiation and cessation. Results showed that the majority of them (73.6%) were aware of e-cigarette's existence, while 13.2% were e-cigarettes users. A significant association was found between curiosity to try and usage status in which former user has a higher curiosity to try (55.7%) than the currents users (p=0.004). A variety of flavours has a significant association between usage status as current users (58.8%) used e-cigarettes due to a variety of flavours than the former users (38.6%) (p=0.044). The findings showed that curiosity to try and e-cigarettes are safer are the predictors of initiating e-cigarettes. The respondents who believe that e-cigarettes are safer than tobacco cigarettes have 6.12 times chance to initiate using e-cigarette when considering other factors (OR=6.12, p=0.018). Meanwhile, those who used e-cigarettes because of the curiosity to try had 0.32 times the chance to initiate e-cigarettes use (OR=0.32, p=0.018). This study observed a low knowledge related to e-cigarettes and the significant predicting factor of initiating were a curiosity to try and e-cigarettes is safer. This study reported the main reason smokers quit using e-cigarettes was it did not give satisfaction compared to conventional cigarettes, while for non-smoker was due to worry about the danger of e-cigarettes. Therefore, appropriate information on e-cigarettes should be adequately disseminated to the general population to promote healthy behaviours and positive attitudes toward smoking.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

  • Institute for Medical Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

  • Sections