Youth’s engagement and perceptions of disposable e-cigarettes: a UK focus group study
Objectives Evidence suggests that use of flavoured disposable electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is increasing. Considering the growing popularity and rapid evolution of e-cigarettes, we explored youth’s perceptions and engagement with disposable e-cigarettes.Design Twenty focus groups were conduc...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2023-03-01
|
| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/3/e068466.full |
| _version_ | 1797744848852221952 |
|---|---|
| author | Shona Hilton Anne Marie MacKintosh Allison Ford Marissa J Smith |
| author_facet | Shona Hilton Anne Marie MacKintosh Allison Ford Marissa J Smith |
| author_sort | Shona Hilton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives Evidence suggests that use of flavoured disposable electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is increasing. Considering the growing popularity and rapid evolution of e-cigarettes, we explored youth’s perceptions and engagement with disposable e-cigarettes.Design Twenty focus groups were conducted between March and May 2022, with 82 youths aged 11–16 living in the Central belt of Scotland.Methods Youths were asked about smoking and vaping behaviours and disposable e-cigarettes and were shown vaping-related images and videos from social media which were used to stimulate discussion about different messages, presentations and contextual features. Transcripts were imported into NVivo V.12, coded thematically, and analysed.Results Youths described disposable e-cigarettes as ‘cool’, ‘fashionable’ and enticing and viewed as a modern lifestyle ‘accessory’. Tank models were perceived as being used by older adults. Youths stated that disposable e-cigarettes were designed in a way to target youths and the brightly coloured devices and range of flavourings encouraged youths to want to try the products, particularly sweet flavourings. Participants perceived e-cigarettes to be less harmful compared with combustible cigarettes but noted the uncertainty of ingredients in disposable e-cigarettes.Conclusions Youths distinguish between e-cigarettes with varying characteristics and social perceptions of users. These findings provide evidence that disposable e-cigarettes are attractive to youths. Future research is needed to understand the factors that contribute to youth perceptions of disposable e-cigarettes. Policymakers should work together to design and implement policies and strategies to prevent youth uptake of vaping. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:15:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ab2d93ed361344c9b8fb8ecd74b70e1c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:15:15Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-ab2d93ed361344c9b8fb8ecd74b70e1c2023-08-11T14:20:07ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552023-03-0113310.1136/bmjopen-2022-068466Youth’s engagement and perceptions of disposable e-cigarettes: a UK focus group studyShona Hilton0Anne Marie MacKintosh1Allison Ford2Marissa J Smith3MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UKInstitute for Social Marketing, University of Stirling, Stirling, UKInstitute for Social Marketing, University of Stirling, Stirling, UKMRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UKObjectives Evidence suggests that use of flavoured disposable electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is increasing. Considering the growing popularity and rapid evolution of e-cigarettes, we explored youth’s perceptions and engagement with disposable e-cigarettes.Design Twenty focus groups were conducted between March and May 2022, with 82 youths aged 11–16 living in the Central belt of Scotland.Methods Youths were asked about smoking and vaping behaviours and disposable e-cigarettes and were shown vaping-related images and videos from social media which were used to stimulate discussion about different messages, presentations and contextual features. Transcripts were imported into NVivo V.12, coded thematically, and analysed.Results Youths described disposable e-cigarettes as ‘cool’, ‘fashionable’ and enticing and viewed as a modern lifestyle ‘accessory’. Tank models were perceived as being used by older adults. Youths stated that disposable e-cigarettes were designed in a way to target youths and the brightly coloured devices and range of flavourings encouraged youths to want to try the products, particularly sweet flavourings. Participants perceived e-cigarettes to be less harmful compared with combustible cigarettes but noted the uncertainty of ingredients in disposable e-cigarettes.Conclusions Youths distinguish between e-cigarettes with varying characteristics and social perceptions of users. These findings provide evidence that disposable e-cigarettes are attractive to youths. Future research is needed to understand the factors that contribute to youth perceptions of disposable e-cigarettes. Policymakers should work together to design and implement policies and strategies to prevent youth uptake of vaping.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/3/e068466.full |
| spellingShingle | Shona Hilton Anne Marie MacKintosh Allison Ford Marissa J Smith Youth’s engagement and perceptions of disposable e-cigarettes: a UK focus group study BMJ Open |
| title | Youth’s engagement and perceptions of disposable e-cigarettes: a UK focus group study |
| title_full | Youth’s engagement and perceptions of disposable e-cigarettes: a UK focus group study |
| title_fullStr | Youth’s engagement and perceptions of disposable e-cigarettes: a UK focus group study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Youth’s engagement and perceptions of disposable e-cigarettes: a UK focus group study |
| title_short | Youth’s engagement and perceptions of disposable e-cigarettes: a UK focus group study |
| title_sort | youth s engagement and perceptions of disposable e cigarettes a uk focus group study |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/3/e068466.full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shonahilton youthsengagementandperceptionsofdisposableecigarettesaukfocusgroupstudy AT annemariemackintosh youthsengagementandperceptionsofdisposableecigarettesaukfocusgroupstudy AT allisonford youthsengagementandperceptionsofdisposableecigarettesaukfocusgroupstudy AT marissajsmith youthsengagementandperceptionsofdisposableecigarettesaukfocusgroupstudy |