Journal
ADDICTION
Volume 116, Issue 5, Pages 1186-1195Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/add.15251
Keywords
Coronavirus; COVID-19; e-cigarettes; quitting; SARS-CoV-2; smoking; smoking cessation; vaping
Categories
Funding
- Cancer Research UK fund the Smoking Toolkit Study [C1417/A22962]
- Public Health England [558585/180737]
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This study found that current smokers and long-term ex-smokers in England appear to have higher odds of self-reported COVID-19 compared to never smokers. However, there were no significant differences between users of nicotine replacement therapy or e-cigarettes. The engagement in hand-washing behaviors was high regardless of nicotine or tobacco use.
Aims To estimate (1) associations between self-reported COVID-19, hand-washing, smoking status, e-cigarette use and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) use and (2) the extent to which COVID-19 has prompted smoking and vaping quit attempts and more smoking inside the home. Design Cross-sectional household surveys. Setting and participants A representative sample of the population in England from April to May 2020. The sample included 3179 adults aged >= 18 years. Measurements Participants who reported that they definitely or thought they had coronavirus were classified as having self-reported COVID-19. Participants were asked how often they wash their hands after returning home, before preparing foods, before eating or before touching their face. They were also asked whether, due to COVID-19, they had (i) attempted to quit smoking, (ii) attempted to quit vaping and (iii) changed the amount they smoke inside the home. Findings Odds of self-reported COVID-19 were significantly greater among current smokers [20.9%, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04-1.73] and long-term (> 1-year) ex-smokers (16.1%, aOR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.05-1.68) compared with never smokers (14.5%). Recent (< 1-year) ex-smokers had non-significantly greater odds of self-reported COVID-19 (22.2%, aOR = 1.50, 95% CI = 0.85-2.53). Bayes factors indicated there was sufficient evidence to rule out large differences in self-reported COVID-19 by NRT use and medium differences by e-cigarette use. With the exception of hand-washing before face-touching, engagement in hand-washing behaviours was high (> 85%), regardless of nicotine use. A minority (12.2%) of quit attempts in the past 3 months were reportedly triggered by COVID-19, and approximately one in 10 current e-cigarette users reported attempting to quit vaping because of COVID-19. Conclusions In England, current smokers and long-term ex-smokers appear to have higher odds of self-reported COVID-19 compared with never smokers in adjusted analyses, but there were no large differences between people who used nicotine replacement therapy or e-cigarettes. Engagement in hand-washing appears to be high, regardless of nicotine or tobacco use. A minority of past-year smokers and current e-cigarette users, respectively, report attempting to quit smoking/vaping due to COVID-19.
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