Awareness And Use Of Electronic Cigarettes Among Young Adults In Iloilo City.docx

COLEGIO DE SAN JOSE Member: Daughters of Charity - St. Louise De Marillac Educational System E. Lopez St., Jaro, Iloilo City INTEGRATED BASIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Awareness and Use of Electronic Cigarettes among Young Adults in Iloilo City

A Concept Paper

presented to

Ms. Sherrah Mae M. Talaman

In partial fulfillment for the requirements

COLEGIO DE SAN JOSE Member: Daughters of Charity - St. Louise De Marillac Educational System E. Lopez St., Jaro, Iloilo City INTEGRATED BASIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Of the subject

English for Academic and Professional Purposes

by

Maeric Bridget L. Alquisada

October 2018

I. INTRODUCTION

COLEGIO DE SAN JOSE Member: Daughters of Charity - St. Louise De Marillac Educational System E. Lopez St., Jaro, Iloilo City INTEGRATED BASIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

E-cigarette was invented in 2003 by Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik. Since e-cigarettes were brought to the market in 2004, their global use has risen exponentially. As of 2015 most e-cigarettes are made in China. An e-cigarette is a handheld electronic device. It vaporizes a flavored liquid, popularly known in the Philippines as juice. The user inhales the vapor. The fluid in the e-cigarette is made of pharmacological-standard nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerine and flavorings. The components of e-cigarettes are e-liquids or e-juice, a glass or plastic vial container of e-liquid, cartridge, atomizer, battery, cartomizer and clearomizer, digital display or lights to adjust settings, tank systems, drip tips, flavorings and programable software.

The NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms describes an electronic cigarette as a device that has the shape of a cigarette, cigar, or pen and does not contain tobacco. It uses a battery and contains a solution of nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals, some of which may be harmful. When electronic cigarettes are used, the nicotine solution turns into a mist that can be inhaled into the lungs. The amount of nicotine in individual e-cigarettes can vary. It is not yet known whether electronic cigarettes are safe or if they can be used to help smokers quit smoking (www.cancer.gov). According to the survey conducted by Ipsos research agency for factasia.org 4 percent of Filipinos use e-cigarettes regularly or occasionally as alternative to conventional cigarettes.The survey also found out that seven out of 10 Filipinos (70 percent) are in favor of e-cigarettes as alternative to tobacco products.

Heneage Mitchell, cofounder of factasia.org, said at a recent news conference announcing the survey results that 70 percent of the respondents would consider switching to e-cigarette “if they were legal, met quality and safety standards and were conveniently available.” He said almost nine out of 10 of adult smokers (86 percent) agree they should have the right to access information about less harmful alternatives to cigarettes, and almost eight out of 10 (76 percent) agree the government should encourage them to switch to less harmful products by easing fiscal and regulatory policies. However, the Philippine government recently announced that President

COLEGIO DE SAN JOSE Member: Daughters of Charity - St. Louise De Marillac Educational System E. Lopez St., Jaro, Iloilo City INTEGRATED BASIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Duterte is set to sign an order banning smoking in public places—indoor or outdoor—including public vehicles. The ban will include e-cigarettes, news reports said.

According to (Choi & Forster, 2013) health professionals are concerned that ecigarettes may impede the reduction in the prevalence of smoking in the United States for three reasons. Leading among these reasons are that the product may limit the effect of clean indoor air quality because smokers can use e-cigarettes indoors. This act may lessen their interest to stop smoking. Also, smokers may use e-cigarettes instead of recognized effective smoking cessation treatments in their attempt to quit, even though the ecigarettes’ effectiveness as quit aids is still unknown. Third, e-cigarettes may serve as an entryway to cigarettes smoking. Individuals who never smoked may experiment with e-cigarettes (mainly because of the variety of e-cigarettes flavors), develop nicotine addiction, and later switch to smoking cigarettes (Choi & Forster, 2013). Sales for e-cigarettes have skyrocketed since 2004, and it is estimated to have reached $650 million in Europe and $1.7 billion in United States in 2013. Also, e-cigarette sales are projected to topple traditional tobacco cigarette sales in a couple of years (Fairchild et al., 2014).

As e-cigarettes' popularity rises, so do the uncertainties and controversies about its potential harmful effects on human health that have soared especially here in the Philippines. As scientific studies on e-cigarettes attempt to catch up with its popularity, it remains to be seen if e-cigarettes use will be beneficial to smoking cessation or a setback toward the goal of cutting out nicotine for good.

II. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In general, this study aims to examine the awareness and use of electronig cigarettes among young adults in Iloilo City. Specifically, the study seeks to provide

COLEGIO DE SAN JOSE Member: Daughters of Charity - St. Louise De Marillac Educational System E. Lopez St., Jaro, Iloilo City INTEGRATED BASIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

answers to the following questions:

1. Is there a significant relationship between electronic cigarettes usage and the age of young adults in Iloilo City?

2. Does the awareness of electronic cigarettes play a significant role in the usage of electronic cigarettes among young adults in Iloilo City?

3. Does the motive for the use of electronic cigarettes determine its usage?

4. Can the source of information for electronic cigarette influence the awareness of electronic cigarettes among young adults in Iloilo City? 5.

III. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to examine the awareness, perceptions and use of noncombustible cigarettes also known as electronic cigarettes among young adults between ages 18-37 years in Iloilo City. The study is important because young Ilonggo adults may still be in the stage of initiating nicotine use. Besides, young adults are usually more likely to try new things. They may pay more attention to new products such as e-cigarettes and be more inclined to use them.

IV. STAKEHOLDERS/BENEFICIARIES

Eligible participants should be between 18 and 37 years, should have had a past encounter with smoking and must live in Iloilo City. After eligible participants will

COLEGIO DE SAN JOSE Member: Daughters of Charity - St. Louise De Marillac Educational System E. Lopez St., Jaro, Iloilo City INTEGRATED BASIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

be provided with informed consent, they will be given a short survey comprised of 22 questions. Eligible participants completed the survey. No incentives or cash rewards will be given to participants before or after their participation.

V. SHORT DESCRIPTION

E-cigarettes products are continually changing and many of the findings from studies of older products may not be applicable to the assessment of newer products that could be safer and more useful as nicotine delivery devices. They come in varying electronic-liquid cartridges that are flavored with tobacco, menthol, coffee, fruit, candy, and alcohol flavors, as well as unique flavors such as cola and Belgian waffle (Granaet al., 2014).

Despite the growing concerns by the public about surging dangers with the use of electronic cigarettes, there have been knowledge gaps related to the use of electronic cigarettes and other tobacco electronic devices. The immediate goal of the research used was to study the effects of the non-combustible tobacco products with the emphasis on electronic cigarettes among Iloilo City residents. Electronic cigarettes have been promoted as a harmless alternative to cigarettes because it contains only nicotine and not the other harmful ingredients found in cigarettes (Henningfield, 2014).

There is an increased awareness and subsequent use of electronic cigarettes among young adults in Iloilo City. The purpose of this study is to examine the awareness, prevalence and use of electronic cigarettes among young adults between the ages of 18-37 years. Regan et al., (2013) asserts that young adults have a higher prevalence of tobacco use than any other age group, with 1 in 3 young adults smoking. He believes electronic cigarettes may delay young adults from quitting smoking, thereby making it even harder to reduce a nearly static trend in young adult tobacco use (Regan et al., 2013). However, very little is known about characteristics of

COLEGIO DE SAN JOSE Member: Daughters of Charity - St. Louise De Marillac Educational System E. Lopez St., Jaro, Iloilo City INTEGRATED BASIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

electronic tobacco associated with awareness and use of ecigarettes among young adults in Iloilo City and that is one primary focus of this study.

VI. METHODOLOGY

A. Research Design

This study will be using a quantitative research approach to examine the awareness, perceptions and use of non-combustible tobacco products like electronic cigarettes among young adults’ residing in Iloilo City, who are the primary focus of this study.

B. Instrumentation

The survey that will be used is a 22-item based questionnaire (Appendix A) covering ecigarette user demographics, electronic cigarette use history, conventional tobacco use history and respondents’ ideas about electronic cigarettes. The survey relied on self-reports on electronic cigarettes and tobacco use from former and current smokers. Socio-demographic variables that will be assessed includes participants’ age, income, gender, and education.

C. Statistical Data Analysis Procedure

This study will use Chi-square in examining the awareness, perceptions and use of non-combustible tobacco products like electronic cigarettes among young adults in Iloilo City.

COLEGIO DE SAN JOSE Member: Daughters of Charity - St. Louise De Marillac Educational System E. Lopez St., Jaro, Iloilo City INTEGRATED BASIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL