Introduction

The use of e-cigarettes among youth and young adults has greatly increased, with national media outlets drawing attention to e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) hospitalizations.

Methods

U.S. adults completed an online survey where they were asked to describe their perceptions towards e-cigarettes. There were two surveys collected using separate samples, with one being before the peak of EVALI cases in Time 1: July 2019 (n = 521) and one collected after the peak of EVALI cases in Time 2: October 2019 (n = 536).

Results

Four themes emerged including describing e-cigarettes as appealing, unappealing, comparing them to other tobacco products, and generally having experience with e-cigarettes. Fewer participants described e-cigarettes as appealing in terms of smell, flavor, and taste in Time 2, after the peak of EVALI cases. Both samples described the harmful effects of using e-cigarettes, with a higher percent describing potential harms in Time 2. Participants in Time 2 less frequently described e-cigarettes as a good alternative to traditional cigarettes.

Conclusions

Perceptions towards e-cigarettes vary among adults who use or do not use e-cigarettes; however, this study reflected an increase in awareness of the harmful effects of using e-cigarettes after the peak of EVALI cases. Additionally, results suggest that there may have been a decrease in adults who found e-cigarettes appealing. Determining perceptions towards e-cigarettes, especially after growing awareness of the harmful effects of using e-cigarettes, is useful in informing future policies and public health campaigns.

中文翻译：

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在案例中评估EVALI高峰前后的电子烟观点

介绍

年轻人和年轻人中电子烟的使用已大大增加，国家媒体也开始关注电子烟或与电子产品使用相关的肺损伤（EVALI）住院治疗。

方法

美国成年人完成了一项在线调查，被要求描述他们对电子烟的看法。使用单独的样本收集了两项调查，一项是在时间1：2019年7月EVALI病例高峰之前（n = 521），另一项是在时间2：2019年10月EVALI病例高峰之后（n = 536）收集的。

结果

出现了四个主题，包括将电子烟描述为吸引人，不吸引人，将其与其他烟草产品进行比较以及通常具有电子烟的经验。在EVALI案件达到顶峰之后，很少有参与者认为电子烟在时间2的气味，风味和味道方面具有吸引力。两个样本都描述了使用电子烟的有害影响，较高的百分比描述了时间2的潜在危害。时间2的参与者较少地将电子烟描述为传统香烟的良好替代品。

结论

使用或不使用电子烟的成年人对电子烟的看法各不相同；但是，这项研究反映了在EVALI病例高峰之后，人们越来越意识到使用电子烟的危害。此外，结果表明，发现电子烟有吸引力的成年人可能有所减少。确定人们对电子烟的看法，尤其是在人们逐渐意识到使用电子烟的有害影响之后，这有助于为将来的政策和公共卫生运动提供信息。