Knowledge and Beliefs Regarding Harm From Specific Tobacco Products: Findings From the H.I.N.T. Survey

Abstract

Purpose: Determine whether dual tobacco users have different levels of knowledge about nicotine addiction, perceived harm beliefs of low nicotine cigarettes (LNCs) and beliefs about electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes).

Design: Quantitative, Cross-sectional.

Setting: Health Information National Trends Survey 5 (Cycle 3, 2019).

Participants: Nationally representative adult non-smokers (n=3113), exclusive cigarette smokers (n=302), and dual (cigarette and e-cigarette) users (n=77).

Measures: The survey included single item measures on whether nicotine causes addiction and whether nicotine causes cancer. A five-point Likert scale assessed comparative harm of e-cigarettes and LNCs relative to conventional combustible cigarettes (1=much more harmful, 3=equally harmful…5 = much less harmful, or don't know).

Analysis: We used weighted multiple linear regression model to estimate means and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of e-cigarettes and LNCs beliefs by current tobacco user status.

Results: Over 97% of dual users, 83% of non-smokers and 86% of exclusive cigarette smokers correctly identified that nicotine is addictive. The majority of subjects incorrectly identified nicotine as a cause of cancer, with dual users having the lowest proportion of incorrect responses (60%). Dual users rated e-cigarette harmfulness as less harmful than combustibles (mean=2.20; 95% CI=1.73, 2.66) while exclusive cigarette smokers and non-smokers rated them as similarly harmful. LNCs were considered equally harmful and addictive as conventional cigarettes.

Conclusion: Dual users had a higher knowledge base of tobacco-related health effects. The effectiveness of policies or medical recommendations to encourage smokers to switch from cigarettes to LNCs or e-cigarettes will need to consider accurate and inaccurate misperceptions about the harm and addictiveness of nicotine. Improved public health messages about different tobacco products are needed.

Keywords: addiction; beliefs; electronic cigarettes; nicotine; tobacco.