Abstract 19668: Electronic Cigarette Prevalence and Patterns of Use in Adults With a History of Cardiovascular Disease

Introduction: Characterizing e-cigarette use patterns is important for guiding tobacco regulatory policy and projecting the future burden of tobacco-related diseases. Although e-cigarette use has been previously characterized in the general population, few studies have examined patterns of use in individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD), despite the fact that this group represents a highly vulnerable segment of the population. Methods: We examined e-cigarette use in adults aged 18-89 with a history of CVD using data from the 2014 wave of the National Health Interview Survey. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine the association between ever and current e-cigarette use and smoking. In a secondary analysis, we modeled the association between e-cigarette use and a quit attempt over the past year. Results: Former smokers with CVD that quit smoking within the last year showed 1.85 (95% CI: 1.03, 3.33) times the odds of having ever used e-cigarettes when compared to those who reported being someday current smokers. We observed a similar, though less pronounced, increase in odds when looking at current e-cigarette users. Current smokers who attempted to quit smoking within the last year showed significantly increased odds of ever having used e-cigarettes (1.70; 95% CI: 1.25, 2.30) and currently using e-cigarettes (1.97; 95% CI: 1.32, 2.95) when compared to smokers who had not attempted to quit over the last year. Conclusion: Individuals with CVD who recently quit smoking or reported a recent quit attempt were significantly more likely to use e-cigarettes than current smokers and those who did not report a quit attempt. These findings indicate that this population may be using e-cigarettes as an aid to smoking cessation. Characterizing emerging e-cigarette use behaviors in adults with CVD may help to inform outreach activities aimed at this high-risk population and can lead to a better understanding of the evolving burden of tobacco-related illnesses.