Health professionals in Flanders perceive the potential health risks of vaping as lower than those of smoking but do not recommend using e-cigarettes to their smoking patients

Van Gucht, Dinska; Baeyens, Frank

doi:10.1186/s12954-016-0111-4

Harm Reduction Journal

Table 3 Tobacco counselors and general practitioners’ distributions of responses on the different statements

From: Health professionals in Flanders perceive the potential health risks of vaping as lower than those of smoking but do not recommend using e-cigarettes to their smoking patients

	Totally disagree (%)		Rather disagree (%)	Rather agree (%)	Totally agree (%)
The e-cig is harmful to the vaper	TCs	4	26	63	7
	GPs	0	32	55	14
	Total	3	28	61	9
The e-cig is harmful to people in the vicinity of the vaper	TCs	22	48	24	6
	GPs	9	55	27	9
	Total	18	50	25	7
The e-cig is healthier than the conventional cigarette	TCs	7	11	39	43
	GPs	5	9	55	32
	Total	7	11	43	40
The e-cig is carcinogenic	TCs	11	41	35	13
	GPs	18	41	27	14
	Total	13	41	33	13
The risk of cancer is lower for the e-cig than for the conventional cigarette	TCs	2	13	43	43
	GPs	5	5	59	32
	Total	3	11	47	40
The e-cig increases the cardiovascular risk	TCs	6	30	44	20
	GPs	9	23	55	14
	Total	7	28	47	18
The risk of cardiovascular disease is lower for the e-cig than for the conventional cigarette	TCs	7	7	52	33
	GPs	5	5	73	18
	Total	7	7	58	29
The e-cig increases the risk of chronic lung disease	TCs	11	41	41	7
	GPs	9	41	36	14
	Total	11	41	40	9
The risk of chronic lung disease is lower for the e-cig than for the conventional cigarette	TCs	4	17	44	35
	GPs	5	9	73	14
	Total	4	15	53	29
Nicotine is a very harmful component of the e-cig	TCs	24	30	28	19
	GPs	4	50	27	18
	Total	18	36	28	18
The e-cig with nicotine has an addictive effect	TCs	2	7	35	56
	GPs	0	14	41	46
	Total	1	9	37	53
The e-cig without nicotine has an addictive effect	TCs	20	43	32	6
	GPs	18	46	32	5
	Total	20	43	32	5
I think the e-cig can be used in public places where smoking is prohibited	TCs	70	19	9	2
	GPs	36	36	18	9
	Total	61	24	12	4
I think the e-cig should be prohibited to minors (18 years)	TCs	2	11	20	67
	GPs	5	5	27	64
	Total	3	9	22	66
I think the e-cig will cause renormalisation of smoking	TCs	2	15	50	33
	GPs	5	23	46	27
	Total	3	17	49	32
I think that the e-cig will lead to uptake of conventional smoking	TCs	4	22	52	22
	GPs	9	27	46	18
	Total	5	24	50	21
The e-cig is an effective smoking cessation aid	TCs	24	43	32	2
	GPs	5	46	50	0
	Total	18	43	37	1
I support patients, who spontaneously tell me they want to start using the e-cig, in this decision	TCs	20	39	33	7
	GPs	5	27	59	9
	Total	16	36	41	8
I recommend the e-cig to my patients	TCs	57	37	6	0
	GPs	32	59	9	0
	Total	50	43	7	0

TCs tobacco counselors, GPs general practitioners

Back to article page

ISSN: 1477-7517

Contact us

Submission enquiries: journalsubmissions@springernature.com