Methods and Materials

A 15 multiple-choice quiz was composed about the adverse health effects of tobacco cigarettes and the scientific knowledge currentlyavailable on smoking e-cigarettes to assess the participants’ knowledge. A demographic part requested the person’s age, sex, grade,and smoking history. This quiz was administered to participants through Rutgers Facebook posts and person-to-person contact.

Evaluating Rutgers University Students About their Knowledge of the Health Effects of E – Cigarettes vs. the Health Effects of Tobacco Cigarettes

Joanne Strand Brookhaven Gastreoenterology Associates Pathology Laboratory

Abstract

This study evaluates the knowledge level of college students on scientificinformation about e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes via an online test. Thisstudy also determines whether or not those who never smoked or smokedtobacco cigarettes a year ago would smoke e-cigarettes now due to its highpopularity and its public belief that it helps to quit tobacco smoking. Data wascollected by administering a 15-question multiple-choice quiz to RutgersUniversity students. The results were statistically analyzed and compared via chisquare. The data period collection was 3 weeks and 150 persons participated.The group with the highest score was the non-smoking group with a 70%average. This supports the hypothesis that knowledge leads to better decisionmaking. Out of 22 tobacco smokers, 13 used e- cigarettes, strongly suggestingthat they were using e-cigarettes to quit tobacco smoking. Students in this studywho smoked tobacco cigarettes were more likely to try e-cigarettes in hopes ofquitting. Finally, an encouraging finding was that tobacco smokers made up only14.7% of the participants as compared to CDC data (16.8% of the population).This may reflect that a smaller proportion of educated persons smoke tobacco.

Introduction

Health Problems Associated with Smoking Tobacco Cigarettes - Almost half a million Americans die prematurely from smoking each year- Smoking in the USA causes 87% of lung cancer deaths and 79% of all cases of

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease- Smoking diminishes overall health status, weakens the immune system,

impairs fertility, and increases the risk for tuberculosis, death, and cancer

What is an E – Cigarette? - Electronic cigarettes are battery-operated devices devised to deliver nicotine

with flavorings and other chemicals in vapor instead of smoke

Health Problems Associated with Smoking E – Cigarettes - The FDA approves oral consumption of e – cigarettes, but inhalation effects are

unknown. Epithelial cells are in nasal passages and lungs and are critical fornormal immune defense. Smoking cigarettes decreases the gene expression of53 genes that are important for the immune response of epithelial cells whilesmoking e-cigarettes decreases the gene expression of 358 genes, including all53 genes that smoking cigarettes suppressed.

- In May 2000, 8 people who previously worked at a microwave popcorn-processing plant were reported to have severe bronchiolitis obliterans or“popcorn lung”, an irreversible loss of pulmonary function that can become sosevere that the only treatment may be a lung transplant. There was a stronglink between lung disease and inhalation exposures to the butter flavoringchemicals (diacetyl) in the facility. The flavoring chemicals involved were onthe Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) list that applies only to ingestion.

- E-cigarette use tripled among middle and high school students in just one year.Among high school students, use increased from 4.5% (2013) to 13.4% (2014).

- Researchers found varying levels of substances, such as high concentrations offormaldehyde, isoprene, acetic acid, acetone, propanol, and nicotine in the air.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr. Strand for all of his guidance throughout this project. I wouldalso like to thank the Douglass Project for providing funding for this research project.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015, October 1). Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/

Results

Non-smokers scored a 70%, tobacco cigarette smokers scored a 64%, and e-cigarette smokers scored a 68%. Those who smoked both tobacco cigarettes ande-cigarettes scored a 62%. For all participants, the average was a 10.5 out of 15points, which is a grade of 70%. The median was 10 out of 15 points or 67% andthe range was 2 to 15 points.

Female non-smokers scored a 67%, female tobacco cigarette smokers scored a67%, and female e-cigarette smokers scored an 80%. Females who smoked bothtobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes scored a 60%. Out of 15 questions, male non-smokers scored a 73%, male tobacco cigarette smokers scored a 60%, and male e-cigarette smokers scored a 56%. Males who smoked tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes scored a 63%.

Significant discoverieso Those who smoked tobacco cigarettes were more likely to try e-cigaretteso However, those who never smoked tobacco cigarettes a year ago did not

smoke e-cigarettes now even due to its high popularity.o Non-smokers had the highest quiz scores. This supports the hypothesis that

knowledge leads to better decision making, such as choosing healthierlifestyle habits. The large number of e-cigarette smokers may reflect adisproportionate number because there is no evidence that 21% of RutgersUniversity students use e-cigarettes.

o Females scored slightly better (67%) than males (63%).

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Non-Smokers E- Cigarette Smokers Tobacco CigaretteSmokers

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Average Quiz Scores of Four Groups

1 year ago, were you a regular user of any of the following?o Tobacco cigaretteso E-cigaretteso BOTH tobacco cigarettes and e-cigaretteso Never smoked either

Are you a current smoker?o Tobacco cigaretteso E-cigaretteso BOTH tobacco cigarettes and e-cigaretteso Not a current smoker of either

Health complications of tobacco smoking include...o Lung cancer ○ Heart diseaseo Stroke ○ All of the above

What chemicals are found in the liquid of e-cigarettes?o Nicotine only o Tobacco, nicotine, and flavoringso Tobacco and nicotineo Nicotine, flavorings, propylene glycol,

glycerin, and other ingredients

An electronic cigarette is free of…

o Sugar and nicotine

o Water, propylene glycol, and nicotine

o Tar and tobacco

o Nicotine and tar

What is inside the vapor produced by e-

cigarettes?

o Water, propylene glycol, nicotine, and

carcinogens

o Tar, tobacco, and carcinogens

o Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water

o Water and tobacco

The Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA) warned that diacetyl, a

flavoring chemical found in candy- flavored e-

cigarettes, has been linked to...

o Pulmonary tuberculosis

o Sarcoidosis of the lungs

o Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

o Bronchiolitis obliterans (popcorn lung)

o Asthma

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Females

Males

Quiz: The Health Effects of Using E-Cigarettes vs. Tobacco Cigarettes

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The Rise in Teen Vapers

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