Saudi’s Medical Students’ Perceptions About E-Cigarette Use

A cross-sectional study of medical students at King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia, aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes about vaping among undergraduate medical students.

Diane Caruana

October 14, 2021

Doctor woman with stethoscope standing near grey wall — Young doctor woman with stethoscope standing near grey wall

Less than half of the participants believed that e-cigarettes are better for patients than tobacco products.

The study titled, “Knowledge and Attitudes Among Medical Students Toward the Clinical Usage of e-Cigarettes: A Cross-Sectional Study in a University Hospital in Saudi Arabia,” aimed to measure the likelihood of study participants’ favouring the use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. A total of 399 students filled a four-item questionnaire.

The compiled responses indicated that a minority approved of e-cigarette use for smoking cessation. “A minority (13.5%) believed that e-cigarettes are FDA-approved for smoking cessation, while approximately one-third believed e-smoking lowers cancer risks (31.1%) and could help with smoking cessation (31.1%).”

17.5% would recommend e-cigs for smoking cessation

Moreover, less than half of the participants believed that e-cigarettes are better for patients than tobacco products. “Further, 35.9% agreed or strongly agreed that e-cigarettes are better for patients than tobacco products, and 17.5% were likely to recommend e-smoking to their patients for smoking cessation.”

In line with similar studies from across the globe, the researchers identified countless misconceptions about e-cigarettes. “We observed several misconceptions about addictiveness and inadequate awareness about e-cigarettes’ harmful effects, leading to non-scientific opinions about its therapeutic use for harm reduction or in smoking cessation. Academic programs around this topic should be updated in accordance with majority expert recommendations,” they concluded.