Abstract A014: Rural-urban differences e-cigarette ever use, the perception of harm, and e-cigarette information-seeking behaviors among U.S. adults in a nationally representative study

Abstract

Abstract Rural adults are more likely to use some tobacco products and die from tobacco-related diseases than their urban counterparts. The harms and benefits of e-cigarette use are mixed, and similarly, obscure messaging about these harms and benefits have a critical influence on e-cigarette uptake and perceived harms. However, little is known about rural-urban differences in the prevalence of adult e-cigarette daily usage. Using the Health Information National Trends Survey-Food and Drug Administration (HINTS-FDA) cycles 1 and 2, we conducted weighted logistic regressions to assess rural-urban differences in the prevalence of adult e-cigarette daily usage, perceived harm, and e-cigarette information seeking behaviors. This analysis included adults aged 18 and older in the United States. (N=4229). Both rural and urban respondents had a similar history of e-cigarette use. Rural respondents were significantly more likely than urban respondents to trust religious organizations and leaders and tobacco companies for information about e-cigarettes. Rural and urban respondents were equally as likely to believe e-cigarettes are addictive, perceive e-cigarette use as harmful, and believe e-cigarettes are more harmful than smoking cigarettes. They were equally as likely to look for information on e-cigarettes, the health effects of e-cigarettes, and cessation; and, to seek e-cigarette information from healthcare professionals, family and friends, and health organizations and groups. Given our findings, it will be pertinent to continue to research the potential harms of e-cigarette use and develop accurate health communication messages to avoid similar rural-urban disparities observed for cigarette smoking-related outcomes. Citation Format: Marquita W. Lewis-Thames, Marvin E. LWashington University in St. Louis School of Medicineangston, Lindsay Fuzzella. WashiWashington, Saira Khan, Justin X. Moore, Yunan Han. Rural-urban differences e-cigarette ever use, the perception of harm, and e-cigarette information-seeking behaviors among U.S. adults in a nationally representative study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr A014.