TY - JOUR
T1 - Absolute and relative e-cigarette harm perceptions among young adult lesbian and bisexual women and nonbinary people assigned female at birth
AU - Patterson, Joanne G.
AU - Keller-Hamilton, Brittney
AU - Wedel, Amelia
AU - Vázquez-Otero, Coralia
AU - Liu, Jessica
AU - Lee, Donghee
AU - Stevens, Elise M.
AU - Wagener, Theodore L.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2023/11
Y1 - 2023/11
N2 - Purpose: Young adult lesbian and bisexual women report considerable e-cigarette disparities, which may be attributed to low harm perceptions. No studies have assessed differences in e-cigarette harm perceptions in this group, nor which factors might be intervention targets to influence harm perceptions. Materials and methods: We investigated differences in and modifiable correlates of e-cigarette harm perceptions among young adult lesbian and bisexual women and non-binary people assigned female at birth. Young adult women and non-binary people assigned female at birth, aged 18–30 years old, and who self-identified as lesbian or bisexual (N = 471) reported absolute and relative harm perceptions of e-cigarettes to health in an online survey. We modeled associations between harm perceptions and individual, interpersonal, and contextual factors. Results: Bisexual (vs. lesbian) participants perceived higher absolute harm of e-cigarettes (Mean (M) = 7.61 vs M = 7.09, p = .03). Participants rated e-cigarettes as slightly less harmful than cigarettes, and there was no statistically significant difference by sexual orientation (Bisexual: M = 4.84 vs Lesbian: M = 4.36). In multivariable models, bisexual (vs. lesbian) participants and Hispanic/Latinx and Other race (vs. non-Hispanic White) participants reported higher absolute and relative e-cigarette harm perceptions. Greater sexual identify affirmation and greater perceived stress were associated with higher absolute and relative e-cigarette harm perceptions. Conclusions: E-cigarette harm perceptions vary vis-à-vis individual-level factors. Self-identification as bisexual or minoritized race/ethnicity, greater sexual identity affirmation, and greater perceived stress was associated with increased harm perceptions. Understanding variations may inform targeted health communications to reduce e-cigarette use disparities.
AB - Purpose: Young adult lesbian and bisexual women report considerable e-cigarette disparities, which may be attributed to low harm perceptions. No studies have assessed differences in e-cigarette harm perceptions in this group, nor which factors might be intervention targets to influence harm perceptions. Materials and methods: We investigated differences in and modifiable correlates of e-cigarette harm perceptions among young adult lesbian and bisexual women and non-binary people assigned female at birth. Young adult women and non-binary people assigned female at birth, aged 18–30 years old, and who self-identified as lesbian or bisexual (N = 471) reported absolute and relative harm perceptions of e-cigarettes to health in an online survey. We modeled associations between harm perceptions and individual, interpersonal, and contextual factors. Results: Bisexual (vs. lesbian) participants perceived higher absolute harm of e-cigarettes (Mean (M) = 7.61 vs M = 7.09, p = .03). Participants rated e-cigarettes as slightly less harmful than cigarettes, and there was no statistically significant difference by sexual orientation (Bisexual: M = 4.84 vs Lesbian: M = 4.36). In multivariable models, bisexual (vs. lesbian) participants and Hispanic/Latinx and Other race (vs. non-Hispanic White) participants reported higher absolute and relative e-cigarette harm perceptions. Greater sexual identify affirmation and greater perceived stress were associated with higher absolute and relative e-cigarette harm perceptions. Conclusions: E-cigarette harm perceptions vary vis-à-vis individual-level factors. Self-identification as bisexual or minoritized race/ethnicity, greater sexual identity affirmation, and greater perceived stress was associated with increased harm perceptions. Understanding variations may inform targeted health communications to reduce e-cigarette use disparities.
KW - Bisexual
KW - E-cigarette use
KW - Harm perceptions
KW - Lesbian
KW - Women
KW - Young adults
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85164326625&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107788
DO - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107788
M3 - Article
C2 - 37429104
AN - SCOPUS:85164326625
SN - 0306-4603
VL - 146
JO - Addictive Behaviors
JF - Addictive Behaviors
M1 - 107788
ER -