TY - JOUR T1 - A typology of vaping: Identifying differing beliefs, motivations for use, identity and political interest amongst e-cigarette users. A1 - Farrimond,Hannah, Y1 - 2017/08/12/ PY - 2017/03/15/received PY - 2017/06/21/revised PY - 2017/07/10/accepted PY - 2017/8/16/pubmed PY - 2018/5/29/medline PY - 2017/8/16/entrez KW - Beliefs KW - E-cigarettes KW - Identity KW - Q-methodology KW - Qualitative KW - Vapers SP - 81 EP - 90 JF - The International journal on drug policy JO - Int J Drug Policy VL - 48 N2 - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify and differentiate socially shared accounts of e-cigarette use (vaping) using Q-methodology, combining factor analysis with qualitative comments. METHODS: Seventy statements on e-cigarettes, drawn from media, academic and online discussions, were sorted by participants along a continuum of agreement/disagreement, commenting on strongly ranked items. Each participant thus created their own 'account' of their vaping. A by-person correlation matrix of the sorts was conducted, then factor analysed, to identify similar accounts (p<0.01). Fifty-five UK vapers participated by post, 55% male, mean age of 46, 84% only vaping/16% vaping and smoking, 95% vaping daily. RESULTS: Three accounts of e-cigarettes were identified. The first two were associated with having quit smoking; the third with ongoing tobacco smoking and vaping. In Factor One, 'Vaping as Pleasure', vaping was characterized as enjoyable, with long-term use envisaged and a medical model of vaping rejected. Factor One participants also held a strong vaping identity and were politically motivated to maintain the rights of adults to vape. In Factor Two, 'Vaping as Medical Treatment', vaping was understood as a pragmatic choice about how to medicate one's smoking addiction, with the aim being to treat and ultimately reduce nicotine dependence. In Factor Three, 'Ambivalent E-Cigarette Use', participants reported fewer benefits and harboured more negative beliefs about e-cigarettes; they also strongly rejected a vaper identity, having no interest in online forums or being labelled a 'vaper' themselves. CONCLUSION: The UK e-cigarette users in this sample were not a homogeneous group; differing in their beliefs, motivations for use, identity and political interest. In particular they diverged on whether they accepted a medicalized account of vaping and identified as a vaper. Public health messages targeted to one group of e-cigarette users may not resonate with others. SN - 1873-4758 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/28810158/A_typology_of_vaping:_Identifying_differing_beliefs_motivations_for_use_identity_and_political_interest_amongst_e_cigarette_users_ L2 - https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0955-3959(17)30213-X DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -