Social Network Ties and Responses to COVID-19 Among E-Cigarette Users

• Author: Brian C. Kelly,Mark Pawson,Mike Vuolo
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/00220426221107555
• Published date: 01 January 2023
• Date: 01 January 2023
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Journal of Drug Issues

2023, Vol. 53(1) 145–158

© The Author(s) 2022

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DOI: 10.1177/00220426221107555

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Social Network Ties and

Responses to COVID-19 Among

E-Cigarette Users

Brian C. Kelly

1

, Mark Pawson

1

, and Mike Vuolo

2

Abstract

Social networks can enhance behavioral changes or entrench existing patterns of behavior. We

aimed to identify how network ties to other e-cigarette users shaped responses to the pandemic

and e-cigarette considerations. A national U.S. survey of 562 e-cigarette users was conducted

during April 2020. Participants self-reported network ties to other e-cigarette user s and pandemic

outcomes: receiving expressions of concern about vaping, risk for a bad COVID outcome,

changes in e-cigarette risk perceptions, and considerations of quitting. Each additional e-cigarette

user tie was associated with a 0.014 unit increase in expressions of concern (p< 0.001), a 0.034

unit increase in perceived risk of a bad outcome (p< 0.05), and 3.9% higher odds of quit

considerations (OR = 1.039; p< 0.01). Family ties to e-cigarette users were particular ly im-

portant. Additional e-cigarette users within a network shaped risk perceptions in response to

COVID-19. Network ties to other e-cigarette users have implications for cessation or reduction

of e-cigarette use.

Keywords

e-cigarettes, pandemic, risk, vaping

Introduction

The identif‌ication of factors shaping behavioral patterns among e-cigarette users took on new

relevance with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Other concerns about the risks of

vaping had recently emerged with the e-Cigarette or Vaping Product Use–Associated Lung Injury

(EVALI) scare (Adkins et al., 2020;Reagan-Steiner et al., 2020). Only months later, the

emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and its production of acute respiratory symptoms raised

further concerns about the risks of vaping. Some experts suggested that smokers and e-cigarett e

users may have increased risks related to COVID-19 infection and disease progression (Brake

et al., 2020;Lewis, 2020). Although much remains inconclusive, prior research indicates nicotine

1

Department of Sociology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

2

Department of Sociology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

Corresponding Author:

Brian C. Kelly, Department of Sociology, Purdue University, 700 W State St, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.

Email: bckelly@purdue.edu