Factors Associated with Military Members Using Electronic Cigarettes

Abstract

Background: Over 35.7% of military members reported trying electronic cigarettes (ECIG) and 11.1% reported using them daily.

Objectives: To identify, measure, and examine the association between demographic characteristics, psychosocial factors, and military related factors in military member’s electronic cigarette use, compared to tobacco use, dual use, and nonuse.

Methods: This cross-sectional, correlational study includes military members aged 18 and older from September 2021 to October 2021 using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and military related questions. Descriptive statistics were presented as frequencies and percentages. Pearson’s chi-squared tests were performed to examine associations among the variables.

Results: There were 434 participants in this study. The military members in this sample were predominately white (84%), married (54%) males (85%) ranging in age from 25 to 34 (65%), with incomes in the $25,001 to $50,000 (50%) range. Over 75% of participants owned their own home and 92% were employed for wages. In our sample, 223 (51%) had dual use, 67 (15%) participants had exclusive tobacco cigarette use, 37 (9%) had exclusive ECIG use, and 107 (25%) had nonuse. There were 223 (56%) participants that used tobacco before joining the military and 56 (14%) that started using tobacco after joining the military. There were 74 (17%) participants that used ECIG before joining the military and 188 (44%) that started using ECIGs after joining the military. There was a statistically significant association between stress/depression and dual use, x²(2) = 32.75, p < .001. There was a statistically significant association between might start ECIG use in the future and tobacco use, x²(1) = 222.25, p < .001 and the nonuse group, x²(1) = 316.07, p < .001. There was a statistically significant association between how many families, friends, or coworkers use ECIGs. There was a statistically significant association between thinking ECIGs were less harmful than tobacco cigarettes in all groups.

Conclusions: While this study was focused on electronic cigarette use, we cannot ignore the large number of participants in this study that reported dual use in the military. These findings suggest that there are a limited number of military members using ECIGs exclusively. Military members reported a higher rate of dual use than previously reported. There are several psychosocial factors that may contribute to dual use in the military. This review provides insight into why some military members use electronic cigarettes; however as new literature emerges; additional gaps should be addressed specifically focused on dual use.