EC Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine

Introduction: E-cigarettes are devices that are powered by a battery, are portable, and can be used repeatedly. These devices utilize a piezo-electric component to convert a solution into vapor that is then inhaled by the user via a refillable cartridge and mouthpiece. Although there is limited information regarding the safety and composition of e-cigarettes, they have become popular among young people worldwide due to their discreet nature and availability in a wide variety of flavors. Despite this, they are being marketed and used extensively. Given that tobacco consumption is common in Pakistan, our research aims to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of the Pakistani population regarding e-cigarettes.

Methods: An anonymous online survey in the form of a Google form was utilized to conduct a substantial cross-sectional study. The survey consisted of questions that inquired about the use of e-cigarettes, demographics, knowledge about e-cigarettes, and attitudes towards e-cigarettes. Aside from descriptive analysis, univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine any correlations between sociodemographic factors as exposure variables and KAP scores as outcome variables.

Results: A total of 695 participants were included in the final analysis. The mean age of the respondents was 29.6 years, with a majority of responders from the Punjab province (44.4%) Majority (96.7%) of the participants had adequate knowledge while 56.3% had a negative attitude towards E-cigarettes. Three hundred and eighty-four (43.4%) of the respondents reported using E-cigarettes. A concurrent use of cigarette smoking, and e-cigarettes was also recorded (19.3%).

Conclusion: Our study concluded that the prevalence of e-cigarette use was 43.4% and that most of the population had sufficient knowledge and a negative attitude. This study also highlights the perception among the youth that e-cigarette smoking is socially desirable and that certain provinces in the country have a lack of awareness regarding the devices.

Keywords: Electronic Cigarettes; E-cigs; Cigarette Smoking; Tobacco; Nicotine; Smoking

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