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E-cigarette in Malaysia: Reasons for Initiating of Electronic Cigarettes Among Hospital and Clinic Patients and Visitors

Received: 3 May 2021     Accepted: 24 May 2021     Published: 23 August 2021
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Abstract

The prevalence of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) use has been increased and became a global concern. This cross-sectional study among adults in Malaysia determined the knowledge of e-cigarettes, the association between the factors of initiating e-cigarettes use and usage status, the predicting factors of initiating e-cigarettes use and the reasons for the users to stop using it. A total of 1254 respondents completed a self-constructed questionnaire on socio-demographics, knowledge, reasons for e-cigarettes initiation and cessation. Results showed that the majority of them (73.6%) were aware of e-cigarette's existence, while 13.2% were e-cigarettes users. A significant association was found between curiosity to try and usage status in which former user has a higher curiosity to try (55.7%) than the currents users (p=0.004). A variety of flavours has a significant association between usage status as current users (58.8%) used e-cigarettes due to a variety of flavours than the former users (38.6%) (p=0.044). The findings showed that curiosity to try and e-cigarettes are safer are the predictors of initiating e-cigarettes. The respondents who believe that e-cigarettes are safer than tobacco cigarettes have 6.12 times chance to initiate using e-cigarette when considering other factors (OR=6.12, p=0.018). Meanwhile, those who used e-cigarettes because of the curiosity to try had 0.32 times the chance to initiate e-cigarettes use (OR=0.32, p=0.018). This study observed a low knowledge related to e-cigarettes and the significant predicting factor of initiating were a curiosity to try and e-cigarettes is safer. This study reported the main reason smokers quit using e-cigarettes was it did not give satisfaction compared to conventional cigarettes, while for non-smoker was due to worry about the danger of e-cigarettes. Therefore, appropriate information on e-cigarettes should be adequately disseminated to the general population to promote healthy behaviours and positive attitudes toward smoking.

Published in Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 9, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13
Page(s) 135-141
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Electronic Cigarettes, E-cigarettes, Knowledge, Initiation, Adult

References
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    Abu Bakar Rahman, Mohamad Irwan Sai’din, Nurashma Juatan, Manimaran Krishnan, Zaikiah Mohd Zin, et al. (2021). E-cigarette in Malaysia: Reasons for Initiating of Electronic Cigarettes Among Hospital and Clinic Patients and Visitors. Science Journal of Public Health, 9(4), 135-141. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13

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    Abu Bakar Rahman; Mohamad Irwan Sai’din; Nurashma Juatan; Manimaran Krishnan; Zaikiah Mohd Zin, et al. E-cigarette in Malaysia: Reasons for Initiating of Electronic Cigarettes Among Hospital and Clinic Patients and Visitors. Sci. J. Public Health 2021, 9(4), 135-141. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13

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    AMA Style

    Abu Bakar Rahman, Mohamad Irwan Sai’din, Nurashma Juatan, Manimaran Krishnan, Zaikiah Mohd Zin, et al. E-cigarette in Malaysia: Reasons for Initiating of Electronic Cigarettes Among Hospital and Clinic Patients and Visitors. Sci J Public Health. 2021;9(4):135-141. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13,
      author = {Abu Bakar Rahman and Mohamad Irwan Sai’din and Nurashma Juatan and Manimaran Krishnan and Zaikiah Mohd Zin and Normawati Ahmad and Mohd Yusoff Adon and Siti Fathiah Mohamed},
      title = {E-cigarette in Malaysia: Reasons for Initiating of Electronic Cigarettes Among Hospital and Clinic Patients and Visitors},
      journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {9},
      number = {4},
      pages = {135-141},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20210904.13},
      abstract = {The prevalence of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) use has been increased and became a global concern. This cross-sectional study among adults in Malaysia determined the knowledge of e-cigarettes, the association between the factors of initiating e-cigarettes use and usage status, the predicting factors of initiating e-cigarettes use and the reasons for the users to stop using it. A total of 1254 respondents completed a self-constructed questionnaire on socio-demographics, knowledge, reasons for e-cigarettes initiation and cessation. Results showed that the majority of them (73.6%) were aware of e-cigarette's existence, while 13.2% were e-cigarettes users. A significant association was found between curiosity to try and usage status in which former user has a higher curiosity to try (55.7%) than the currents users (p=0.004). A variety of flavours has a significant association between usage status as current users (58.8%) used e-cigarettes due to a variety of flavours than the former users (38.6%) (p=0.044). The findings showed that curiosity to try and e-cigarettes are safer are the predictors of initiating e-cigarettes. The respondents who believe that e-cigarettes are safer than tobacco cigarettes have 6.12 times chance to initiate using e-cigarette when considering other factors (OR=6.12, p=0.018). Meanwhile, those who used e-cigarettes because of the curiosity to try had 0.32 times the chance to initiate e-cigarettes use (OR=0.32, p=0.018). This study observed a low knowledge related to e-cigarettes and the significant predicting factor of initiating were a curiosity to try and e-cigarettes is safer. This study reported the main reason smokers quit using e-cigarettes was it did not give satisfaction compared to conventional cigarettes, while for non-smoker was due to worry about the danger of e-cigarettes. Therefore, appropriate information on e-cigarettes should be adequately disseminated to the general population to promote healthy behaviours and positive attitudes toward smoking.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - E-cigarette in Malaysia: Reasons for Initiating of Electronic Cigarettes Among Hospital and Clinic Patients and Visitors
    AU  - Abu Bakar Rahman
    AU  - Mohamad Irwan Sai’din
    AU  - Nurashma Juatan
    AU  - Manimaran Krishnan
    AU  - Zaikiah Mohd Zin
    AU  - Normawati Ahmad
    AU  - Mohd Yusoff Adon
    AU  - Siti Fathiah Mohamed
    Y1  - 2021/08/23
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13
    T2  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JF  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JO  - Science Journal of Public Health
    SP  - 135
    EP  - 141
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-7950
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20210904.13
    AB  - The prevalence of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) use has been increased and became a global concern. This cross-sectional study among adults in Malaysia determined the knowledge of e-cigarettes, the association between the factors of initiating e-cigarettes use and usage status, the predicting factors of initiating e-cigarettes use and the reasons for the users to stop using it. A total of 1254 respondents completed a self-constructed questionnaire on socio-demographics, knowledge, reasons for e-cigarettes initiation and cessation. Results showed that the majority of them (73.6%) were aware of e-cigarette's existence, while 13.2% were e-cigarettes users. A significant association was found between curiosity to try and usage status in which former user has a higher curiosity to try (55.7%) than the currents users (p=0.004). A variety of flavours has a significant association between usage status as current users (58.8%) used e-cigarettes due to a variety of flavours than the former users (38.6%) (p=0.044). The findings showed that curiosity to try and e-cigarettes are safer are the predictors of initiating e-cigarettes. The respondents who believe that e-cigarettes are safer than tobacco cigarettes have 6.12 times chance to initiate using e-cigarette when considering other factors (OR=6.12, p=0.018). Meanwhile, those who used e-cigarettes because of the curiosity to try had 0.32 times the chance to initiate e-cigarettes use (OR=0.32, p=0.018). This study observed a low knowledge related to e-cigarettes and the significant predicting factor of initiating were a curiosity to try and e-cigarettes is safer. This study reported the main reason smokers quit using e-cigarettes was it did not give satisfaction compared to conventional cigarettes, while for non-smoker was due to worry about the danger of e-cigarettes. Therefore, appropriate information on e-cigarettes should be adequately disseminated to the general population to promote healthy behaviours and positive attitudes toward smoking.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

  • Institute for Medical Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

  • Institute for Health Behavioural Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

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