Abstract 4659: Association between e-cigarette use and propensity for risk behaviors
Authors: Huo Xingyue , Finkelstein Joseph 
Published: September 2020

Background: The use of e-cigarettes has been rapidly increasing in the United States however factors contributing to this phenomena have not been studied systematically. This goal of this study was to investigate the association between e-cigarette consumption and risk behaviors.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data from 2016 to 2018 was carried out with sampling weights applied in all analyses. Propensity for risk behaviors was defined as a positive self-report to any of the following: heavy drinking; not having flu shot in the past year; not always using seat belt; injecting any drug other than those prescribed; being treated for a sexually transmitted disease or STD; being given or received money or drugs in exchange for sex in the past year; being tested for HIV. Chi-square test was used to compare prevalence between study groups. Multiple logistic regression (MLR) was carried out to estimate the association between e-cigarette use and risk behaviors adjusting for demographic factors and tobacco smoking status.

Results: Overall, 3.5% of participants reported to be current e-cigarette users (N=23,803), with 72.1% of them being non-Hispanic white. Among current e-cigarette users, 60.3% were male, younger adults (18-44 years of age, 71.3%), with more than 12 years of education (49.7%) and middle income ($25K-75K, 40.9%), tobacco users (49.8%) and having risk behaviors (92.4%). The current tobacco smokers (14.3%, former smoker: 5.6%, never smoked: 1.6%) were more likely to use e-cigarettes. Younger adults aged 18-44 years (7.3 %, 45-64 years:3.7 %, 65+ years: 1.5%), male (5.8%, female: 3.6%), non-Hispanic Whites (5.2 %, non-Hispanic Black: 3.4%, Hispanic: 3.3 %), as well as people with high school education (6.0 %, &lt;12 years: 4.9%, &gt;12 years: 3.9 %) and income below $25K (5.5 %, $25K-75K: 4.7 %, above $75K: 4.0%) reported higher e-cigarette use. Upward growth trajectory in e-cigarette consumption from 2016 to 2018 was found in males (2016: 5.6%, 2017:5.4%, 2018: 6.9%), people aged 18-44 years (2016:6.7%, 2017:6.9%, 2018:9.4%), people with risk behaviors (2016:5.2%, 2017:5.1%, 2018:6.2%) and those who never smoked tobacco (2016:0.5%, 2017:0.6%, 2018:2.3%). After adjusting for confounders in MLR, people with risk behaviors were 1.39 times more likely to use e-cigarettes compared to those without risk behaviors (OR=1.39, [95%CI, 1.29-1.49]). The odds of e-cigarette use among 18-44 years adults (OR= 4.85 [95% CI, 4.53-5.18]) and 45-64 years adults (OR= 2.26 [95% CI, 2.10-2.43]) were higher than 65+ years adults. Current tobacco smokers (OR=9.50, [95%CI, 8.92-10.11]) and former smokers (OR=5.15, [95%CI, 4.83-5.48]) demonstrated higher probability of e-cigarette use than those who never smoked.

Conclusions: There is a significant association between e-cigarette consumption and risk-taking behavior. Former or current tobacco users are more likely to use e-cigarettes.

Citation Format: Xingyue Huo, Joseph Finkelstein. Association between e-cigarette use and propensity for risk behaviors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 4659.