Patchaya Kochsiripong and Prompiriya Pitirattanaworranat

DOI: 10.14456/sjst-psu.2021.5

pp. 31 - 36

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore the attitudes and perceptions toward electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use among
undergraduate health science students.
Methods: A survey was performed in January to May 2019. The data collection was conducted through selfadministered questionnaires, which probed demographic data, attitudes, and perceptions toward e-cigarette use. Descriptive
statistics were used to present the demographic data and misperception prevalence. The data on e-cigarette users and non-users
were compared using Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine
predictive factors of e-cigarette use.
Results: The in total of 415 students by quota sampling were mostly female. Approximately 20% of the students were
e-cigarette users whereas 10% were tobacco users. The major source of knowledge about e-cigarettes was friends or close
friends, while only 14% was from curriculum. The predictive factors of e-cigarette use were tobacco use, being around smokers,
and alcohol consumption. E-cigarette users were found to have more misperceptions than those not using e-cigarettes in several
dimensions: health impacts, addiction, appearance, smoking cessation, and legal exception.
Conclusions: Undergraduate health science students had misperceptions about e-cigarettes in several aspects. The
information about e-cigarettes in the curriculum was insufficient and posters or boards in the university were not effective.
Consequently, supplementary knowledge should be provided and attractive smoking cessation campaigns should be created.

Keywords

• e-cigarettes
• attitude
• perception
• health science students
• misperception