Educational material Do Patients Ask You About E-cigarettes? Electronic Cigarettes - Key Information for Healthcare Professionals was created to provide healthcare professionals with key credible electronic cigarette (EC) information and information that they can use to query their patients and advise them evidence-based. It is intended for all healthcare professionals as everyone can meet with EC questions. It is especially intended for those health care professionals who are more exposed to such issues and the need for counseling, i.e. those working in the field of preventive healthcare and smoking cessation. The material is also intended for all those who co-create tobacco control policies in various sectors, both at national and local levels.
F.01 Acquisition of new practical knowledge, information and skills
COBISS.SI-ID: 4735717Educational material Electronic Cigarettes - Detailed Information for Healthcare Professionals was created to provide healthcare professionals with detailed credible electronic cigarette (EC) information and information that they can use to query their patients and advise them evidence-based. It is intended for all healthcare professionals as everyone can meet with EC questions. It is especially intended for those health care professionals who are more exposed to such issues and the need for counseling, i.e. those working in the field of preventive healthcare and smoking cessation. The material is also intended for all those who co-create tobacco control policies in various sectors, both at national and local levels.
F.01 Acquisition of new practical knowledge, information and skills
COBISS.SI-ID: 4735461Electronic Cigarettes (ECs) are products that heat a liquid through a battery to turn it into an aerosol that is then inhaled by the user. The main ingredients of the liquid are nicotine, moisturizers, flavors and water, the liquids can also be nicotine free. ECs have been on sale since 2006, more popular from 2010. Other names include e-cigarettes, vapes, or electronic nicotine delivery systems. Healthcare professionals are an important source of information for patients on the health effects of smoking and smoking cessation assistance, as well as newer products in the field, such as EC. Research from abroad shows that EC knowledge is scarce among healthcare professionals, their views and beliefs are inconsistent and often inconsistent with existing evidence. A significant proportion of them, despite the lack of evidence, recommend EC for smoking cessation. In the first study of its kind in Slovenia that was conducted as a part of this research project (which was co-financed by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovenian Research Agency), we found out that the situation in Slovenia is similar to that in the rest of the world. Knowledge about EC was limited among the surveyed healthcare professionals, which was also the main reason why they were unable to advise patients on EC safety, their harmfulness, or their efficacy in smoking cessation in a high percentage. Significant proportions of respondents would recommend EC for smoking cessation. Most respondents were unaware of the recommendations of the National Institute of Public Health regarding the role of the EC in smoking cessation. There was no widespread verification of EC use among surveyed healthcare professionals. About a third have already faced patients' questions about EC, especially about their safety, harmfulness and efficacy in smoking cessation. The main sources of healthcare professionals surveyed about EC were dependent sources or those with a conflict of interest, half of whom used this type of resource exclusively, which is worrying. Indeed, the choice of resources can have a significant impact on EC attitudes and knowledge, since publications with conflicts of interest significantly less frequently cite the detrimental effects of EC than articles without conflict of interest.
F.02 Acquisition of new scientific knowledge
COBISS.SI-ID: 4699621Electronic Cigarettes (ECs) are products that heat a liquid through a battery to turn it into an aerosol that is then inhaled by the user. The main ingredients of EC fluid are nicotine, moisturizers, flavors and water, and nicotine free liquids are also available. The effects of long-term use of EC have not yet been studied/known. The EC user is exposed to significant amounts of harmful substances that cause changes in the tissues of different organs that can lead to many diseases. Use of EC poses a health risk. ECs are often regarded as a smoking cessation device, but there is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about their role in smoking cessation and we do not recommend ECs for smoking cessation. Healthcare professionals are an important source of information for patients on the health effects of smoking and help with smoking cessation as well as EC. Research from abroad shows that healthcare professionals often face patient questions about EC and the need for counseling, but also that EC knowledge is scarce among healthcare professionals, their views and beliefs are inconsistent and often inconsistent with existing evidence. A significant proportion of healthcare professionals, despite the lack of evidence, recommend EC for smoking cessation. In Slovenia, we conducted the study in order to gain insight into the attitudes, knowledge and counseling practices of healthcare professionals about EC. We invited health professionals working in the field of preventive healthcare and smoking cessation to participate. Data obtained from 479 healthcare professionals employed at health education centers/health promotion centers, family medicine dispensaries, community health services, outpatient cardiac rehabilitation units and a smoking cessation telephone, showed that the situation in Slovenia is similar to abroad. Knowledge about EC was limited among the surveyed healthcare professionals, which was also the main reason why they were unable to advise patients on EC safety and their harm or efficacy in smoking cessation in a high proportion. Nevertheless, significant proportions of participants indicated that they were, or would recommend, the EC for smoking cessation, especially to specific groups of smokers. Most respondents were unaware of the recommendations of the National Institute of Public Health regarding the role of EC in smoking cessation. There was no widespread verification of EC use in patients among surveyed healthcare professionals. About a third have already faced patients' questions about EC, especially about their safety, harmfulness and efficacy in smoking cessation. The main sources of healthcare professionals surveyed about EC were dependent sources or those with a conflict of interest, half of whom used this type of resource exclusively, which is of particular concern. Indeed, the choice of resources can have a significant impact on EC attitudes and knowledge, since publications with conflicts of interest significantly less frequently cite the detrimental effects of EC than articles without conflict of interest.
F.02 Acquisition of new scientific knowledge
COBISS.SI-ID: 4699877Electronic Cigarettes (ECs) are products that heat a liquid through a battery to turn it into an aerosol that is then inhaled by the user. ECs have been available on the market for about 15 years and are a very diverse group of rapidly changing products. They are often perceived as (almost) harmless or a smoking cessation device, but both are not adhered to or have not been sufficiently studied. The EC user is exposed to significant amounts of harmful substances that cause changes in the tissues of different organs that can lead to many diseases and the effects of long-term use of the EC have not yet been studied/known. In addition to nicotine, many chemicals are present in EC aerosol, such as humectants (propylene glycol, glycerol), flavorings and other potentially harmful chemicals, including carcinogens (carbonyl compounds such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, glyoxal; tobacco-specific nitrosamines; volatile organic compounds and phenols such as benzene, toluene, xylenes; furans; phthalates; free radicals and reactive oxygen compounds; particles; metals). Of particular concern is the presence of carcinogens and irritants such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein and the presence of various flavoring chemicals that are not known to have any health effects when inhaled. ECs are also the source of very high levels of particulates entering the user's respiratory system. Healthcare professionals are an important source of information for patients on the health effects of smoking and help with smoking cessation as well as EC. Research from abroad shows that healthcare professionals often face patient questions about EC and the need for counseling, but also that healthcare professionals' knowledge of EC is lacking, their views and beliefs inconsistent and often inconsistent with existing evidence. A significant proportion of healthcare professionals, despite the lack of evidence, recommend smoking cessation. We conducted a first study (as part of a this research project V3-1729) carried out in this field in Slovenia, we find that the situation in Slovenia is similar to that in the rest of the world. The survey involved 479 healthcare professionals working in the field of preventive healthcare and smoking cessation (employees of health education or health promotion centers, family medicine dispensaries, community health services, outpatient cardiac rehabilitation units, and telephone for help with quitting smoking). The study found that knowledge about EC was limited among surveyed healthcare professionals, which was also the main reason why they were unable to advise patients on EC safety, their harmfulness or their role in smoking cessation in a high proportion. Despite the lack of evidence, significant proportions of participants indicated that they were, or would recommend, the EC for smoking cessation, especially to specific smoker groups. Most of the respondents were not aware of the recommendations of the National Institute of Public Health regarding the role of EC in smoking cessation, checking the use of EC in patients was not common. A third of the respondents had already faced patients' questions about EC, in particular about their safety, harmfulness and efficacy in smoking cessation. It is worrying that the main sources of healthcare professionals surveyed about EC were dependent sources or those with a conflict of interest, as half stated that they used only this type of resources. The choice of resources can have a significant impact on EC attitudes and knowledge, since publications with conflicts of interest significantly less frequently cite the detrimental effects of EC than articles without conflict of interest.
F.02 Acquisition of new scientific knowledge
COBISS.SI-ID: 4735205