How U.S. Adults Find Out About Electronic Cigarettes: Implications for Public Health Messages.

Introduction: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered nicotine delivery systems that have become increasingly popular in the United States. We sought to understand how U.S. adults hear about e-cigarettes. Methods: A U.S. national sample of 17,522 adults (≥18 years old) completed an online survey in March 2013 assessing their awareness of and sources of information about e-cigarettes. Results: Most respondents (86%) had heard of e-cigarettes. Current and former smokers were more likely to be aware of e-cigarettes than non-smokers. Males, younger adults, non-Hispanic Whites, and those with higher education were also more likely to have heard of e-cigarettes than females, older adults, other races or ethnicities, or those with lower education. The most commonly reported sources of information were another person, ads on television, and seeing e-cigarettes being sold, although the relative frequency of these sources differed for current, former, and never-smokers. Former and current smokers were more likely to have heard about e-cigarettes from e-cigarette users than were never-smokers. Adults age 30 or younger were more likely than adults over age 30 to have heard about e-cigarettes online. Conclusions: Nearly all U.S. adults had heard of e-cigarettes in 2013. By focusing on the most common channels of information, public health campaigns can more efficiently communicate information about e-cigarette safety and consider necessary regulations should companies use these channels for marketing that targets youth, non-tobacco users, and other at-risk groups. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]