Abstract
Abstract Background: There are documented disparities in smoking behaviors among Hispanic adults in the U.S., but little is known about patterns and perceptions of e-cigarette use. Objective: The study aims to identify social and demographic patterns of heterogeneity in cigarette and e-cigarette perceptions and use among Hispanic adults. Methods: Using data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 5 cycle 1, HINTS 5 cycle 2, and HINTS 5 cycle 3, we examined cigarette and e- cigarette history and current use, as well as perceptions of the dangers of e-cigarette use relative to cigarette use. Primary predictors of interest were Hispanic ethnic group (Mexican/Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and other Hispanic), gender, age, education, income, and English language proficiency with adjustments for personal and family cancer history, and survey year. Binary outcomes were modeled using the logit link and multinomial outcome variables were modeled using generalized logit model. All analyses were done using SAS 9.4® using complex survey methodology with jackknife replicate weights for accurate standard errors, with all analyses weighted to provide nationally representative estimates. Results: The weighted proportion of Hispanics participants who self-identified as Mexican were 53.3%. Puerto-Ricans represented 8% of the participants. Cubans accounted for just about 4% of the responders. The remaining 35% were identified as other Hispanics. Of the 1,618 respondents, 23% were former cigarette smokers, 10% were current cigarette smokers. Twenty percent reported a history of electronic cigarette use, 4% reported current use. In multivariable models, Hispanic women were significantly less likely to report being ever smokers compared to Hispanic men (aOR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.42, 0.88). Hispanics with lower English proficiency were also significantly less likely to report being ever smokers compared to Hispanics who spoke English well (aOR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.20, 0.85). Puerto Ricans were 2.4 times as likely to report being current smokers (95% CI – 1.11, 5.11) compared to Mexicans. Hispanics with a history of cancer were significant more likely to report e-cigarette use (aOR = 3.45, 95% CI = 1.04, 11.50); they were also more likely to report e-cigarette use as less harmful than cigarette use. E-cigarette use among Hispanics has also significantly increased across HINTS cycles, while smoking has remained unchanged. Conclusions: Among Hispanics, significant differences in e-cigarette and cigarette use behaviors and perceptions emerged by gender, age, ethnicity, and cancer history. Implications for tailoring smoking prevention and cessation messaging should be considered. Citation Format: Marlene Camacho-Rivera, Rose Calixte, Denise C. Vidot, Jessica Y. Islam. Perceptions and patterns of cigarette and e-cigarette use among Hispanics: A heterogeneity analysis of the 2017-2019 HINTS [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-138.