Association between pain and e-cigarette use stratified by cigarette smoking status: Results from National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2019–2020. (May 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lee, Juhan; Olayinka, Olaniyi; Thrul, Johannes
• Is Part Of: Addictive behaviors. Volume 140(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-05
• Subjects: Pain -- E-cigarettes -- Cigarettes -- Epidemiology; NHIS National Health Interview Survey -- STROBE Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Drug addiction -- Periodicals; Nicotine addiction -- Periodicals; Smoking -- Periodicals; Gambling -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 362.29
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107625
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4603

Abstract

Highlights: Among the overall sample, 59.8 % reported experiencing pain in the past 3 months. Past-3-month pain experience was associated with current e-cigarettes use in the overall population. Pain experience was associated with current e-cigarette use among current smokers. However, there was no significant difference in e-cigarette use by pain experience among non-current cigarette smokers. Abstract: Introduction: Previous studies have shown frequent co-morbidities between pain and tobacco use. However, the investigation in use of e-cigarettes, a relatively new tobacco product, at the intersection of pain and cigarette smoking is still lacking. This study used a US national dataset to examine associations between pain experience (pain lasting 3 months) and e-cigarette use, stratified by cigarette smoking status. Methods: This study used a pooled dataset of the 2019 and 2020 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) (N = 63, 565). We estimated multivariable binomial logistic regressions predicting current e-cigarette use by pain experience, after controlling for survey year, age, sex, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, education level, health insurance status, other tobacco use, diagnosis of anxiety and depression, use of pain management methods (e.g., physical therapy, behavioral therapy), and prescribed opioid pain reliever use among the overall population, and stratified by cigarette smoking status – never, former, and current cigarette smoking. Results: After controlling for covariates, past-3-month pain experience was associated with current e-cigarette use (aOR = 1.26; 95 % CI = 1.08, 1.46) in the overall population. When stratified by current cigarette smoking, pain experience was associated with current e-cigarette use among current combustible cigarette smokers (aOR = 1.62, 95 % CI = 1.20, 2.18). However, there was no significant difference in e-cigarette use by pain experience among non-current cigarette smokers ( p = 0.103). Conclusions: We observed a higher likelihood of e-cigarette use among US adults experiencing pain. Future studies are needed to investigate mechanisms linking pain and e-cigarette use to inform smoking/vaping prevention and cessation interventions.