Page 173 - Livre électronique des Rencontres Franco-Tunisiennes de Pneumologie 2019

P121. IS ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE USE AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR SMOKING CESSATION?
SURVEY RESULTS FROM A CONVENIENCE SAMPLE IN TUNISIA

FATMA GUEZGUEZ1,2, INÈS GHANNOUCHI1,2, JIHÈNE SAHLI3, HÉLA GHALI3, ZOHRA
TOUATI3, SONIA ROUATBI1,2
1: DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY AND FUNCTIONAL EXPLORATIONS, UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF FARHAT HACHED, SOUSSE,
TUNISIA 2: HEART FAILURE (LR12SP09) RESEARCH LABORATORY, UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF FARHAT HACHED, SOUSSE,
TUNISIA 3: DEPARTMENT OF FAMILIAL AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE; FACULTY OF MEDICINE OF SOUSSE, SOUSSE, TUNISIA

Introduction: Electronic cigarette (EC) use has risen sharply over the past decade. They are
marketed as a cessation tool but there is lack of evidence concerning whether or not they are an
effective tool for smoking cessation.

Aim: to assess the effectiveness of EC in smoking cessation.
Methods: This is a 31-item online survey conducted between January and February 2018.
Participants were enrolled on web sites dedicated to EC users in Tunisia. Descriptive analyses
characterized respondents, tobacco consumption, nicotine dependence and smoking cessation
attempts before EC. Data entry and analysis were performed using SPSS software.

Results: Among the 242 respondents, 232 were smokers before starting EC. They were aged 28.6
± 8.7 years. The main forms of tobacco used were cigarettes (82.9%) and Chicha (16.2%).
Dependence assessed by simplified fagerström score was moderate (52.3%) to high (32.1%).
Smoking cessation attempts before EC were reported by 69.9% but 81.3% of them did not use any
medical help. 212 individuals were able to quit using EC (87.6%). Nevertheless, after 6 ± (3-12)
months of use, 92.8 % of respondents still use nicotine in their e-liquid.
Conclusion: We found a beneficial effect of EC in smoking cessation. One should be cautious
regarding this result since it could be biased by the lack of sampling.

Pag e 172