• Josefine Atzendorf, Annika Berit Aschenbrenner, Elena Gomes de Matos, Ludwig Kraus, Christoph Kröger, Simone Delle, and Daniela Piontek.
• IFT Institut für Therapieforschung, Leopoldstraße 175, 80804, München, Deutschland. atzendorf@ift.de.
• Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz. 2018 Nov 1; 61 (11): 1415-1421.

BackgroundThe perception that e‑cigarettes are less harmful than traditional tobacco products can influence the consumption of e‑cigarettes.ObjectivesThree questions were examined: (1) How do different population groups perceive health risks of e‑cigarettes? (2) Do sociodemographic variables explain differences in the risk assessment of e‑cigarettes? (3) Does the perception of health risks predict the use of e‑cigarettes for smoking cessation?MethodsData came from the 2015 Epidemiological Survey of Substance Abuse (ESA) with a sample size of n = 9204 participants, aged 18 to 64 years (response rate 52.2%). Data were collected by telephone, online, or by written questionnaires. Assessments of risk perception of e‑cigarettes and conventional cigarettes (more harmful, just as harmful, less harmful, do not know) were compared. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were performed.ResultsIndividuals with lower education rated e‑cigarettes as more harmful. Older people and women perceived e‑cigarettes as just as harmful. Smokers considered e‑cigarettes to be more harmful than or just as harmful as conventional tobacco products. The likelihood of using e‑cigarettes for smoking cessation was higher if people thought they were less harmful than conventional cigarettes.ConclusionsOnly one-third of the population knows that e‑cigarettes are less harmful to health than conventional cigarettes. The perception of health risks is related to the usage of e‑cigarettes for smoking cessation.

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