• Daniel P Giovenco, M Jane Lewis, and Cristine D Delnevo.
• Center for Tobacco Studies, Rutgers School of Public Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Electronic address: d.giovenco@rutgers.edu.
• Am J Prev Med. 2014 Oct 1; 47 (4): 476-80.

BackgroundFew national surveys document the prevalence of e-cigarette use in the U.S. The existing metric to assess current use likely identifies individuals who have recently tried an e-cigarette but do not continue to use the product.PurposeTo document the prevalence of e-cigarette ever use, current use, and established use in a nationally representative survey of current and former cigarette smokers in the U.S.MethodsA random sample of current and former cigarette smokers completed a web-based survey in June 2013 (n=2,136). Data were analyzed in November 2013. Multivariate logistic regression identified demographic and smoking-related factors associated with each use category. Point estimates with 95% CIs described e-cigarette use behaviors (e.g., preferred brand, purchasing patterns) for each group.ResultsAlmost half of respondents had tried e-cigarettes (46.8%), but prevalence of established use remained low (3.8%). Although trial of e-cigarettes was highest among daily smokers, the odds of being an established e-cigarette user were greater for former smokers (OR=3.24, 95% CI=1.13, 9.30, p<0.05). Furthermore, e-cigarette preference and use patterns varied among ever, current, and established users. Established users reported using rechargeable e-cigarettes, having a regular brand, and using e-cigarettes at home and in the workplace at much higher levels than the "current use" metric captures.ConclusionsImproved survey measures for e-cigarette use are needed. The identification of established e-cigarette users may provide insight to product features or other individual factors that are associated with sustained use of e-cigarettes.Copyright © 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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