Knowledge and beliefs about electronic cigarettes among quitline cessation staff

Abstract

Introduction Smokers are asking health practitioners for guidance about using e-cigarettes as an aid to quitting. Several studies have surveyed physicians. However, in North America many smokers seek help from telephone quitlines rather than physicians. The objective of the current study was to assess quitline counselors' perceptions of e-cigarettes and what they tell callers about these products. Methods An online cross-sectional survey, conducted in 2014 with 418 quitline counselors in the U.S. and Canada, measured perceptions of e-cigarettes: (1) as quitting aids; (2) safety; (3) professional guidance given/organizational guidance received; (4) regulation. The response rate was 90.1%. Analyses included calculating standard errors and 95% confidence intervals around summary statistic. Results Nearly 70% of counselors believed that e-cigarettes are not effective quitting aids. Most believed e-cigarettes are addictive (87%) and that secondhand exposure to vapor is harmful (71%). Counselors reported that callers ask for advice about e-cigarettes, but few counselors recommended e-cigarettes (4%). Counselors (97%) reported being instructed by quitline employers to explain to clients that e-cigarettes are not FDA-approved; 74% were told to recommend approved quitting aids instead. Most counselors (>87%) believed e-cigarettes should be regulated like cigarettes in terms of advertising, taxation, access by minors, and use in public places. Conclusions Quitline counselors view e-cigarettes as ineffective quitting aids, potentially dangerous, and in need of greater regulations. Counselors can influence how treatment seekers view e-cigarettes, therefore it is imperative that quitlines stay abreast of emerging data and communicate about these products in ways that best serve clients.

Vaporised nicotine and tobacco harm reduction for addressing smoking among people living with HIV: A cross-sectional survey of Australian HIV health practitioners’ attitudes

“…A greater proportion of respondents supported VNPs as a quit aid (37%) than did not. This is consistent with levels of support reported in international samples of other health practitioner groups, such as quitline counsellors (32%) (Cummins et al, 2016) and tobacco counsellor and general practitioner samples (38%) (Van Gucht and Baeyens, 2016).…”

“…Despite an emerging body of research on practitioner views of VNPs, (Brown-Johnson et al, 2016;Cummins et al, 2016;El-Shahawy et al, 2016;Pepper et al, 2014;Sherratt et al, 2016; Van Gucht and Baeyens, 2016) studies have not examined such views in the context of the PLHIV care providers. Furthermore, despite there being a number of THR options, research of practitioner attitudes has predominately focused on VNPs.…”

“…Attitudes and advice to patients about VNPs have previously been shown to vary by country (Cummins et al, 2016) and may reflect prevailing attitudes toward THR in various countries. The low level of support for recommending VNPs as a THR strategy in our study may also reflect the Australian policy context, where no VNPs have been approved as therapeutic goods (Douglas et al, 2015; National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), 2015).…”

Overview of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems: A Systematic Review

“…Eleven studies described ENDS policies enacted at the local, 775,776 state, 776–780 and country level 781–784 ; others addressed proposed city policies, 785 university policies, 786 public and stakeholder opinion of ENDS policies, 334,340,343,351,354,357,374,392,398,399,443,452,469,484,485,717,787–794 the unmet research needs of state and community tobacco control practitioners regarding ENDS, 795 implementation and enforcement of ENDS policies in hospitals, 796 and policies related to vaping on American transit systems. 797 …”

Electronic cigarette use and tobacco cessation in a state-based quitline

“…Instead, they may emphasize other approved cessation mediations and nicotine therapies. Surveyed quitline staff in the US and Canada agreed with this position; the majority of coaches reported perceiving ecigarettes to be ineffective, addictive, and more similar to cigarettes than NRT (Cummins et al, 2016).…”