Khan Muhammad Haris, Khan Muhammad Ijaz, Israr Samra, Haseeb Abdul, Ariya Fnu, Khan Muhammad Ibadullah, Amir Maryam
Medicine, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, PAK.
Internal Medicine, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Towson, USA.
Cureus. 2025 Jun 10;17(6):e85704. doi: 10.7759/cureus.85704. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Introduction Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has risen markedly worldwide in recent years, raising public health concerns. E-cigarettes contain many addictive and dangerous substances, including nicotine, different flavorings, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and others, making them more appealing but, at the same time, have various harmful effects on health. The available literature on e-cigarette and vape use and their adverse effects is insufficient and limited, even in developed countries, let alone in developing nations like Pakistan. This study investigates the knowledge and attitudes of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) population toward e-cigarette use and its adverse effects on human health. This study also disclosed the use of e-cigarettes among different age groups, genders, and socioeconomic classes. Materials and methods A cross-sectional survey was carried out from October to December 2023 after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Research and Ethical Review Board (IREB). The sample size of our study was 385, which was determined using Cochran's formula. Using non-probability convenience sampling, we collected data from 403 individuals. A pre-validated questionnaire from a study conducted in Karachi was adopted for our study, which had four sections. The first section dealt with demographics, the second with knowledge of using e-cigarettes, and the third and fourth with attitudes and practices around using e-cigarettes, respectively. The chi-square test was used to compare the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of e-cigarette users with gender and level of schooling. To assess the socioeconomic status of the participants and ascertain the percentage of e-cigarette users in each socioeconomic class, we also utilized the Kuppuswamy scale, which has been authorized for use in Pakistan. Results Of those surveyed, the majority (n=340, 84.4%) knew what e-cigarettes were. Although most respondents (n=228, 56.6%) knew about the various compounds and ingredients in e-cigarettes, they had little idea about the different amounts of nicotine in them. The majority of both men and women were aware of what e-cigarettes were and the various ingredients they included; however, women learned about e-cigarettes from the Internet, and men from friends. Regarding education, a greater percentage of intermediate and bachelor's degree holders knew what an e-cigarette was and what its various parts and ingredients were. The vast majority of participants (n=216, 53.6%) expressed that they "definitely will not" try e-cigarettes, even if a close friend were to ask them to, and they did not believe they would even if their guardian approved. Most participants (n=379, 94%) would not recommend or encourage the usage of e-cigarettes. Only 38 (9.4%) participants in our study acknowledged using e-cigarettes. Conclusion This study assessed public knowledge and attitudes toward e-cigarette use. Most individuals lacked adequate knowledge, reflected in their general disapproval. Views were similar across genders, but most users were young adults from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, likely due to greater exposure to marketing and cultural norms. As the first study of its kind in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it highlights the need for public education and targeted regulation. Future research should explore the role of e-cigarettes in smoking cessation, usage patterns across demographics, and the impact of marketing on youth.
引言
近年来,电子烟的使用在全球范围内显著增加,引发了公众对健康的担忧。电子烟含有许多成瘾性和危险物质,包括尼古丁、各种调味剂、丙二醇、蔬菜甘油等,这使得它们更具吸引力,但同时也对健康有各种有害影响。即使在发达国家,关于电子烟和蒸汽烟使用及其不良影响的现有文献也不足且有限,更不用说在巴基斯坦这样的发展中国家了。本研究调查了开伯尔-普赫图赫瓦省(KPK)民众对电子烟使用及其对人类健康不良影响的了解和态度。本研究还揭示了不同年龄组、性别和社会经济阶层中电子烟的使用情况。
材料与方法
在获得机构研究与伦理审查委员会(IREB)的伦理批准后,于2023年10月至12月进行了一项横断面调查。我们研究的样本量为385,使用 Cochr an公式确定。通过非概率便利抽样,我们从403个人那里收集了数据。我们采用了在卡拉奇进行的一项研究中预先验证的问卷,该问卷有四个部分。第一部分涉及人口统计学,第二部分涉及电子烟使用知识,第三部分和第四部分分别涉及使用电子烟的态度和行为。使用卡方检验来比较电子烟使用者在性别和受教育程度方面的知识、态度和行为(KAP)。为了评估参与者的社会经济地位并确定每个社会经济阶层中电子烟使用者的百分比,我们还使用了已获巴基斯坦授权使用的库普苏瓦米量表。
结果
在接受调查的人中,大多数(n = 340,84.4%)知道什么是电子烟。尽管大多数受访者(n = 228,56.6%)知道电子烟中的各种化合物和成分,但他们对其中尼古丁的不同含量了解甚少。大多数男性和女性都知道什么是电子烟以及其中包含的各种成分;然而,女性是从互联网上了解到电子烟的,而男性是从朋友那里了解到的。在教育方面,持有中级和学士学位的人中,有更高比例的人知道什么是电子烟以及它的各个部分和成分是什么。绝大多数参与者(n = 216,53.6%)表示,即使亲密朋友邀请,他们“绝对不会”尝试电子烟,并且他们认为即使监护人批准也不会尝试。大多数参与者(n = 379,94%)不会推荐或鼓励使用电子烟。在我们的研究中,只有38名(9.4%)参与者承认使用过电子烟。
结论
本研究评估了公众对电子烟使用的知识和态度。大多数人缺乏足够的知识,这体现在他们普遍持反对态度上。不同性别之间的观点相似,但大多数使用者是来自较高社会经济背景的年轻人,这可能是由于他们更多地接触到市场营销和文化规范。作为开伯尔-普赫图赫瓦省的同类首次研究,它强调了公众教育和针对性监管的必要性。未来的研究应探讨电子烟在戒烟中的作用、不同人群的使用模式以及市场营销对年轻人的影响。