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Electronic cigarettes, often known as e-cigarettes or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), have grown in popularity as a tobacco-free option in recent years. These battery-powered gadgets generate nicotine-infused vapor rather of smoke, providing a potentially less dangerous alternative for smokers. However, academics continue to be interested in and discuss the factors that influence e-cigarette use, particularly gender differences.
The increase in e-cigarette awareness and usage, particularly among current or former smokers, highlights the importance of understanding what drives people to start and continue using these devices. While some people see e-cigarettes as a safer option to traditional smoking and a potential aid in quitting, others use them alongside regular cigarettes, a practice known as “dual use.”
Gender has long been recognized as an essential element in tobacco use behavior. Historically, tobacco businesses targeted women with special marketing strategies, and e-cigarette distributors are now using similar approaches. Slim, pink, and glamorous e-cigarette designs are marketed to female consumers, reflecting previous efforts to entice women to tobacco products.
Existing research reveals that, while gender gaps in e-cigarette use are less evident than in traditional cigarettes, they do exist. For example, research have discovered differences in e-cigarette consumption and preferences between men and women. Some studies imply that women are more prone to attempt e-cigarettes, while others highlight variations in flavor preferences and device design.
Understanding the gender differences in e-cigarette use is critical to establishing effective tobacco control efforts. Researchers hope to shed light on how gender influences smoking behaviors by investigating e-cigarette use trends, reasons for use, and expectations. Expectations for mood control, socializing, and addiction may differ between genders, potentially influencing e-cigarette initiation and quitting efforts, as they do with regular cigarettes.
According to Pineiro et al. (2016), they did a study to understand how men and women see e-cigarettes differently. They found out some important things and here’s a summary of what they discovered:
- Men tended to use e-cigarettes as a method to quit smoking, motivated by health concerns and a desire to enjoy the flavor. Women, on the other hand, frequently used e-cigarettes in response to suggestions from friends or family, as well as to manage stress or mood.
- Device Preference: Women preferred first-generation e-cigarette devices that resembled regular cigarettes, whereas males preferred second-generation devices recognized for more efficiently delivering nicotine. This is consistent with previous research indicating that women may be more influenced by non-nicotine components of smoking.
- Factors that Initiated Use: Women were more likely to begin using e-cigarettes following information from media, friends, or family. This emphasizes the value of social influence and raises questions regarding effects on female initiation since it implies that women would be more responsive to messaging from e-cigarette distributors.
- Men were more likely to stick with e-cigarettes because of positive reinforcement, such flavor, whereas women were more likely to stick with them because of negative reinforcement, like stress relief or mood regulation. This reflects trends in traditional cigarette use and highlights the several reasons that different genders have for continuing to use e-cigarettes.
- Expectations: In line with findings from traditional cigarette studies, women expressed more favorable expectancies regarding the function of e-cigarettes in weight control. This implies that women’s decisions to start and maintain e-cigarette smoking may be influenced by their ideas regarding weight management.
Even though the study offers insightful information, it’s important to consider some of its limitations, such as the use of an online survey and the tiny effect sizes of gender disparities. To gain a deeper understanding of causality, future studies should investigate similar dynamics in larger population samples using longitudinal methods.
Despite these drawbacks, the results show that gender variations in e-cigarette usage necessitate customized interventions and quitting techniques. Comprehending these subtleties can assist initiatives aimed at encouraging smoking cessation and reducing risks related to e-cigarette usage across a range of groups.
Many of the differences between men and women in e-cigarette use are similar to those found in regular cigarette smoking previously. Even if there were not many changes, they nonetheless provide insightful information that can help with future studies and the creation of programs that target the introduction, maintenance, and reduction of e-cigarette usage.