Factors associated with e-cigarette use among young adults by gender: Are females more susceptible to social influence?
Mentor 1
Joshua Gwon
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
5-4-2019 1:30 PM
End Date
5-4-2019 3:30 PM
Description
Abstract for 2019 Annual UWM Undergraduate Research Symposium
Miri Yoon, Soonhwa Paek, BS, & Seok Hyun Gwon, PhD, RN
Title: Factors associated with e-cigarette use among young adults by gender: Are females more susceptible to social influence?
Background and Rational: Young adults in the U.S. are attracted by emerging tobacco products called Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS), e-cigarette, or vape. However, factors associated with the use of ENDS are largely unknown.
Method: This study used a descriptive correlational design using paper-and-pencil questionnaires and online surveys collected cross-sectionally. A total of 893 UWM students participated in the study. Descriptive statistics and chi square test were used to analyze the data.
Results: A total of 883 individuals between age 19-38 participated in this study. In male participants, there were significant differences in ENDS use by age, race, friends who smoke, siblings who use ENDS, friends who use ENDS, and frequencies of exposure to promotions in vape shops depending on ENDS use. In female participants, significant differences were found in age, parents who smoke, parents who use ENDS, friends who smoke, friends who use ENDS, siblings who use ENDS, frequencies of exposure to promotions in vape shops, and on the internet or social media depending on ENDS use.
Conclusion/Discussion: Friends who smoke and friends who use ENDS were significant factors associated with ENDS use among both genders. However, each gender had exclusively significant factors that counterpart did not have. In males, race (white vs. non-white) was the significant factor associated with ENDS use while it was not in females. Interestingly in females, parental smoking and ENDS use, siblings’ ENDS use, and frequencies of exposure to promotions on the internet or social media were the significant factors associated with ENDS use while these were not in males. Literature has reported that women’s tobacco use behavior is more susceptible to social effect and that young women are more influenced by appearance of tobacco products on the internet or social media. The findings of this study are in accordance with the literature. These days, young generations are exposed to a great deal of visual marketing materials via their mobile phones and the internet. We only used bivariate analyses given the level of undergraduate research capabilities. Future studies need to consider advanced statistics to control for the other variables’ effect. There is also a need to explore why females are more vulnerable to social influence in this newly emerging health-risk behavior phenomena. Policy makers may need to consider using different strategies to promote nicotine-free and vape-free behavior by gender.
Factors associated with e-cigarette use among young adults by gender: Are females more susceptible to social influence?
Union Wisconsin Room
Abstract for 2019 Annual UWM Undergraduate Research Symposium
Miri Yoon, Soonhwa Paek, BS, & Seok Hyun Gwon, PhD, RN
Title: Factors associated with e-cigarette use among young adults by gender: Are females more susceptible to social influence?
Background and Rational: Young adults in the U.S. are attracted by emerging tobacco products called Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS), e-cigarette, or vape. However, factors associated with the use of ENDS are largely unknown.
Method: This study used a descriptive correlational design using paper-and-pencil questionnaires and online surveys collected cross-sectionally. A total of 893 UWM students participated in the study. Descriptive statistics and chi square test were used to analyze the data.
Results: A total of 883 individuals between age 19-38 participated in this study. In male participants, there were significant differences in ENDS use by age, race, friends who smoke, siblings who use ENDS, friends who use ENDS, and frequencies of exposure to promotions in vape shops depending on ENDS use. In female participants, significant differences were found in age, parents who smoke, parents who use ENDS, friends who smoke, friends who use ENDS, siblings who use ENDS, frequencies of exposure to promotions in vape shops, and on the internet or social media depending on ENDS use.
Conclusion/Discussion: Friends who smoke and friends who use ENDS were significant factors associated with ENDS use among both genders. However, each gender had exclusively significant factors that counterpart did not have. In males, race (white vs. non-white) was the significant factor associated with ENDS use while it was not in females. Interestingly in females, parental smoking and ENDS use, siblings’ ENDS use, and frequencies of exposure to promotions on the internet or social media were the significant factors associated with ENDS use while these were not in males. Literature has reported that women’s tobacco use behavior is more susceptible to social effect and that young women are more influenced by appearance of tobacco products on the internet or social media. The findings of this study are in accordance with the literature. These days, young generations are exposed to a great deal of visual marketing materials via their mobile phones and the internet. We only used bivariate analyses given the level of undergraduate research capabilities. Future studies need to consider advanced statistics to control for the other variables’ effect. There is also a need to explore why females are more vulnerable to social influence in this newly emerging health-risk behavior phenomena. Policy makers may need to consider using different strategies to promote nicotine-free and vape-free behavior by gender.
