University of Exeter study on Vapers - Participants needed!

[Q]

Jan 20, 2016 21:54:31 GMT amb236 said:

Jan 20, 2016 21:37:41 GMT djs said:

I'd love to help, but it's a long way for me.
However, if you wanted to 'ask the forum' some useful questions I'm sure you'd get some useful answers.

The problem (as I see) it with many studies is they don't really ask enough of the good questions and skirt around some obvious stuff.
For example there are a load of people out there who have not quit smoking and therefore get classed into a dual-fuel category where studies then go on to suggest e-cigs perhaps aren't as effective as they 'make out'. There is nothing to say anybody should be doing anything (smoke, vape, dual-fuel), but given the hundreds of thousands of people who think e-cigs are rubbish because they buy rubbish e-cigs is kind of sad for the movement.
Of course, I would argue that too many of the ineffective e-cigs require too much will-power (not enough nicotine yield), whereas the modern kit (non-tobacco-company) is straight-in Nicotine-Craving slaying hardware.
This sheds and interesting light on what the tobacco companies 'want' us to buy. It also might well mean that the NHS goes on to waste millions (and I mean many noughts...) on products which simply refund the tobacco companies in a decidedly ironic way.

Anyway... I'd be up for a questionnaire.

Good luck.

Hi djs, thanks for your comments. A study using survery method was undertaken last year by a student colleague of mine, which was an excellent peice of work, currently seeking publication. We are hoping to get a bit deeper into the meaning of being a vaper, which is why questionnaires arn't appropriate this time. Like you say, there's not enough out there in the research body that speaks directly to users, and when questions are asked, they are limited in their focus. We will be asking a lot of open questions, allowing the interviewee to really share their opinions, experiences and thoughts. It will be loosely guided but we are using a thematic analysis approach, so we are really hoping to get the ideas and the lead from the people we speak to. 

This was going to be a question of mine, I remember completing the survey, and was very surprised by the lack of feedback, I had expected at least a summary on here.

I am willing to take part but like others I would like to know what your aim is? are you pro or anti vaping?

[Deleted]

This type of thing kinda worries me. I wouldn't be too keen on jumping in to take part on the basis of the sparse information provided. Past experience tells me that this kinda thing generally doesn't further the interests of vaping in a positive manner.

[Deleted]

amb236

After reading your 'profile' on your university website I have further questions:

Two of the research areas in which you specialise are 'Ecigs, identity and well being' and 'the social context of health/risk taking behaviours'.
Therefore my first question is: Will you link these two facets of your Qual research methods using thematic analysis in order to achieve a potential link?

I note that you are a member of the Devon Adoption Panel. Do Devon County Council exclude smokers from becoming potential adoptive parents like other councils do? If yes, does this include vaping?

Does the University of Exeter allow vaping within enclosed social premises such as NSU bars or similar or is it treated in the same vein as smoking tobacco? This I feel would be of interest to members of this forum as I have no doubt you are aware of the '95% safer' research carried out on behalf the of PHE.


Which unit of your university is carrying out the research? Is is the Clinical Unit which has secured funding through links with the NHS and Peninsula Medical School or the Social, Environmental and Organisational Research Group (SEORG)? SEORG appear to be funded by UK research councils, Government (central I assume) and 'industry'. The cynic is me has to ask if Exeter University have any funding from the Tobacco Industry or the Pharmaceutical Industry? Under 'funding' I would include any pension schemes.

You state above that this research programme will receive 'little/non existent funding'. I would have assumed that at a time when vaping is very firmly in the spotlight due the '95%' research, the now discredited research in California which stated that 'Ecigs are no better than smoking' and alarming red top headlines such as 'Ecig blew my face off' that funding would go towards such a controversial topic. After all, vaping is certainly the hot topic these days.

As I have asked previously and others have asked; what is your slant on this subject?

What is the aim of this research?
Is it being conducted on behalf of anyone with links to Exeter University such as the NHS? As you receive funding from the NHS I'd be extremely surprised if data wasn't shared with them.
Will you seek to publish the findings? If so would that include publications such as the BMJ (who at this time seem to be anti vaping)?
Will you be factoring in the TPD into your questions? 
What are your own views on the TPD? I ask this to someone with a vested research interest within the Ecig/vaping world.

Finally, will your research be carried out under guidance and guidelines from the BMRA and MRQSA?

Please do not think I'm trying to undermine your research. I feel it's only fair to forum members that we are all fully in the picture. The last thing we want is another research study that will be published stating another alarming negative sub story.

I look forward to your feedback and thank you.

[Deleted]

This type of bias is a concern to us collectively.

us.blastingnews.com/news/2016/01/motives-of-professor-glantz-organizations-in-question-as-anti-e-cig-campaigns-rage-on-00742669.html

[Deleted]

Post #17 is a screamer RangersBillyBoy, well presented and some valid questions asked. My main concern would be, where eventually the information received for the project, ends up. Through previous experience, I have become somewhat cynical about these types of studies, the timing of this one especially, has alarm bells ringing.

[Deleted]

Jan 21, 2016 6:33:28 GMT striker42 said:

Post #17 is a screamer RangersBillyBoy , well presented and some valid questions asked. My main concern would be, where eventually the information received for the project, ends up. Through previous experience, I have become somewhat cynical about these types of studies, the timing of this one especially, has alarm bells ringing.

I have extensive knowledge of research projects and how data can be manipulated to fit within the structure of the desired aims.

[Deleted]

Jan 21, 2016 6:36:57 GMT RangersBillyBoy said:

Jan 21, 2016 6:33:28 GMT striker42 said:

Post #17 is a screamer RangersBillyBoy , well presented and some valid questions asked. My main concern would be, where eventually the information received for the project, ends up. Through previous experience, I have become somewhat cynical about these types of studies, the timing of this one especially, has alarm bells ringing.

I have extensive knowledge of research projects and how data can be manipulated to fit within the structure of the desired aims.

Exactly my concern.

[Deleted]

amb236

Dear Dr Mewse,

I found this article below which contains comments from a Dr Avril Mewse who at the time was an addiction counsellor at the University of Exeter.

"I don't know if nicotine is more addictive than caffeine but I suspect it kills more people than caffeine".

I didn't realise that nicotine killed people except of course through ingested poisoning or from it being an ingredient in tobacco which of course is well known to kill people.
As far as my knowledge stretches I had assumed that it was the chemicals within tobacco which led to cancer and other respiratory diseases. I did not think nicotine by itself was a lethal component.

Am I to assume that NRT products may potentially be lethal? If this is the case why oh why do Dr's prescribe the use of nicotine.

I'm very good friends with a medical Dr who is a consultant in charge of Respiratory Medicine. He has never mentioned that nicotine could be lethal.

I'm very confused by your statement. I would assume other forums members may also be confused.

For the sake of clarity could you please explain to myself and the forum in general in which ways does nicotine kill apart from the poisoning aspect and it being a component of tobacco.

My fear would be that if this quote is from you then why are we to assume that your research will be non bias in terms of being anti vaping as most of us consume nicotine within our E Liquids.

However, if we are genuinely putting our lives at risk through consuming nicotine then I genuinely thank you for the heads up regarding its lethality.


www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1245532/I-gave-smoking-years-ago--Im-addicted-nicotine.html

[amb236]

Good evening everyone,

Thank you for your comments. I will post again with a fuller answer to the many questions asked, however to do this justice it will take an hour or two and I have other work pressing tonight. I can see there is a lot of concern over the nature of the study though, I can hear members are very keen not to be contributing to more negative press regarding vaping, and that is not our intention. I would like to clarify, as mentioned earlier, this is an undergraduate research project. I am in my third and final year of an undergraduate degree at Exeter along with my fellow students. My name is Anna Burford, my supervisor is Dr Mewse. I will spend some time as soon as possible to answer your questions, please be patient, as well as being in full time education, I also work and have family commitments. I will try and respond as soon as possible. 

Many thanks again for your comments, 

Anna 

[Deleted]

Jan 21, 2016 19:52:24 GMT amb236 said:

Good evening everyone,

Thank you for your comments. I will post again with a fuller answer to the many questions asked, however to do this justice it will take an hour or two and I have other work pressing tonight. I can see there is a lot of concern over the nature of the study though, I can hear members are very keen not to be contributing to more negative press regarding vaping, and that is not our intention. I would like to clarify, as mentioned earlier, this is an undergraduate research project. I am in my third and final year of an undergraduate degree at Exeter along with my fellow students. My name is Anna Burford, my supervisor is Dr Mewse. I will spend some time as soon as possible to answer your questions, please be patient, as well as being in full time education, I also work and have family commitments. I will try and respond as soon as possible. 

Many thanks again for your comments, 

Anna 

Excellent Anna,

I'm sure that we are waiting to hear further information and what your 'supervisor' Dr Mewse can provide in terms of evidence based analysis that 'nicotine kills more people than caffeine'.

[amb236]

Good morning everyone,

We are two undergraduate students completing our final year project, building on a previous students survey study. It is not usual practice for undergraduate projects to receive funding, and no formal funding arrangement exists for this project. We will however be entering participants into a draw to win a £25 amazon voucher, which will be paid for out of our supervisors’ budget. We have received ethics approval from the University of Exeter Ethics Committee (track A). This study is being conducted within the department of psychology, and our primary interest is to understand things from the users perspective. It is not our intention to deceive or otherwise misrepresent participants, quite to the contrary, we would like to ask direct open questions and report the answers in our final year project.

We are building on the excellent work of Jenny Saxby, also an undergraduate who completed her project last year. Jenny’s paper is in the process of being published, which can be a lengthy process. As such I am unfortunately not at liberty to distribute it, however I see Jenny every week and will express your wishes to receive feedback on her study, I am sure she will be happy to do so. The survey methods deployed in the previous study were only able to capture a limited amount of information on vaper identity. It is our intention to extend this work by conducting one to one in depth interviews, asking about peoples’ perceptions of vaping, how it has helped behaviour change and health benefits related to vaping. Our broad research question is 'what is the content of the vaper identity?'. As to what we hope to find, we are only seeking to report the experiences for vapers. We've found a lot of research making opposing claims about the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes, this is not our primary concern. The research that engages users in order to gain their opinions is sparse, however, as you're no doubt aware. We are interested in capturing the voice of users, and will be using a technique called thematic analysis, to allow concepts and themes to arise from the interviews. We will therefore not be using statistical analysis for this study, or any quantitative methods. Obviously no work is truly unbiased, but it is common practice when using a qualitative approach such as this, that researchers attempt to acknowledge their biases and accept that they will shape the work, so that readers can bare this in mind when evaluating research for themselves.

I can see that the major concern of members here is that our research may produce yet more negative results regarding vaping. I think this would be extremely unlikely, given that we are essentially asking dedicated vapers to tell us what they think, and how vaping has improved their life. I believe anything that can help people improve their lives is worthwhile, as long as it’s not hurting others. I am personally neither for or against vaping, but I am open minded and think anything that is making positive changes to improve people’s lives can only be a good thing. I am studying this subject because I have a genuine desire to know what people think and feel, I am not personally interested in proving anything one way or another.

Regarding the Daily Mail article, I am sure it will come as no surprise that Dr Mewse has been misrepresented. I can only urge members interested in knowing more to read Dr Mewse’s published papers. Dr Mewse has never worked in the capacity of Addiction Counsellor, only ever as a lecturer. Dr Mewse has reiterated her wish to challenge the bad press that vaping is getting. She believes vaping to be a great harm reduction technique and it is the only thing that helped her to quit smoking after 45 years of never being able to.

With regards to external organisations, funding, adoption etc, I hope the above has put these to rest. To summarise, this is a small scale final year undergraduate project, two ladies and a wonderful vaping supervisor who would like to get some grounded knowledge from other people who vape.

we were hoping to have 16 interviews completed by the end of January, however we have had technical problems and very limited response via vaping shops, where we have been attempting to recruit. We are now hoping to complete 14 interviews by the end of February, in order to allow time for transcription and thematic analysis. My colleague Victoria and I would be really grateful for any help.

[amb236]

Good evening everyone!

I saw Jenny today and mentioned there were a few members interested in the results of her study. As mentioned it's still in the pipeline for publication, so the whole paper can't be provided, but she did inform me that those who expressed an interest at the time were given a summary report, which she has kindly forwarded to me so that I can share it here;

An Investigation into the experiences and opinions of e-cigarette users: Report for participants

Introduction

Firstly we would like to thank you once again for your participation. Our main aim was to examine the characteristics of e-cigarette users and to investigate how e-cigarette users feel about being a 'vaper' in comparison to being a 'smoker'. Alongside the well known health risks associated with smoking, smokers are in many countries being increasingly stigmatised. In general smokers do not feel good when thinking of themselves as a smoker. Quitting smoking is associated with benefits to health and wellbeing. As well as the obvious health benefits of quitting smoking, an additional benefit to wellbeing could be the change in self-identification from 'smoker' to 'non smoker'. Recent research has shown that many e-cigarette users believe that e-cigarettes helped them quit or reduce smoking. Furthermore dedicated e-cigarette users are highly likely to no longer view themselves as 'a smoker'. Therefore we wanted to explore the possibility that e-cigarette users who have quit or reduced smoking would also experience benefits to wellbeing despite continued nicotine consumption.

At present we are preparing our findings to submit for publication. If we are successful we will contact you again with further details of how you can access the published report. Please see below for a brief summary of main findings.

Main Findings

Participants were 451 self identified e-cigarette users and 105 self identified smokers.

* Most e-cigarette users were ex smokers and nearly all identified as 'vapers'. The majority also identified as a 'non smoker'. Nearly all were daily users and the most common nicotine strength used was 12mg. Just over half of all e-cigarette users had been tobacco free for over a year.

* Just under half of all of e-cigarette users said that they had made a health behavioural change alongside uptake of e-cigarettes. Of these, nearly all said they felt fitter. A large number had also increased their physical activity and/or improved their diet.

* On average, e-cigarette users did not feel supported by health organisations.

* On average e-cigarette users and smokers both reported feeling some discrimination. We found no real difference between e-cigarette users and smokers in perceived discrimination.

* On average e-cigarette users felt less addicted to vaping, than smokers did to smoking. In addition, e-cigarette users reported higher levels of historic smoking dependence compared to their current level of vaping dependence.

* In general, e-cigarette users felt really good about being a 'vaper' and also reported feeling strong group ties to other e-cigarette users.

The majority of e-cigarette users did not want to quit vaping. Of the small number still smoking, most were intending to quit tobacco. In comparison smokers did not feel good about being a smoker though more than half did not want to quit smoking.

* Compared to our sample of smokers, e-cigarette users had on average higher personal self esteem (both groups had on average high personal self esteem).

Conclusion

Overall our findings highlight possible benefits to health and wellbeing for dedicated vapers using e-cigarettes as harm reduction. However though vaping is almost certainly much less harmful than smoking the long term effects are unknown.