Intention to quit electronic cigarette smoking among university students who are e-cigarette users

Objective: To identify factors that are significantly associated with the intention to quit electronic cigarette smoking (ECS) at multiple, ecological levels among university students. Participants: 365 students who were e-cigarette users from Seoul metropolitan areas, South Korea. Methods: A cross-sectional study through an online survey. Results: Of participants, 62.7% had the intention to quit ECS—17.2% within one month, 14.0% within six months, and 31.5% when the time is right. Factors significantly associated with the intention to quit ECS were identified: “device type,” “a shorter duration of ECS,” and “having started ECS for quitting traditional cigarette smoking” at the intrapersonal-level; “negative attitudes of either peers or family members toward ECS” at the interpersonal-level; and “exposure to community smoking cessation educations” at the community-level. Conclusions: Approximately one-thirds of university e-cigarette users had no intention to quit ECS. The factors identified should be integrated into university level, behavioral smoking cessation strategies.