Vaping and Socioeconomic Inequalities in Smoking Cessation
Author Information
Author(s): Iain Hardie, Michael James Green
Primary Institution: University of Glasgow
Hypothesis
Does vaping mediate or moderate associations between socioeconomic position and smoking cessation/relapse?
Conclusion
Vaping may help reduce inequalities in smoking cessation among smokers without degree-level education, but other supports may be needed for those with no qualifications.
Supporting Evidence
- Smokers without degrees were less likely to quit smoking compared to those with degrees.
- Regular vaping was associated with increased odds of smoking cessation among current smokers.
- Vaping did not significantly increase inequalities in smoking relapse.
Takeaway
Vaping can help some people quit smoking, especially those who didn't finish school, but it might not help everyone.
Methodology
Longitudinal analysis using data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study, employing marginal structural models to assess the impact of vaping on smoking cessation and relapse.
Potential Biases
Potential bias from unmeasured confounders related to smoking history.
Limitations
Causal interpretation is limited by potential unmeasured confounding and reliance on self-reported smoking status.
Participant Demographics
Participants included a diverse sample of 25,102 individuals from the UK, stratified by smoking status and educational attainment.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.65 for smoking cessation among non-regular vapers; 1.74 for relapse among ex-smokers without degrees.
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.54–0.77 for cessation; 95% CI 1.37–2.22 for relapse.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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