China Electronic Cigarette Survey

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Background and Introduction 

       With the development of technologies, electronic cigarettes were invented in China and have become more and more popular in China. Either young people or middle-aged people use electronic cigarettes. Most people have quitted the traditional tobacco and started to use electronic cigarettes. In research from Wang et al. (2019), from 2006 to 2015, China has 3.1% of smokers and non-smokers who “ever use” of electronic cigarettes and 0.5% of those who “current use of electronic cigarettes, and there were 40.5% adults who has awareness of electronic cigarettes (pp.1-4). According to the data from The World Bank (2015), there were 1.371 billion people in China, which means that China had 4.11 ten million people who had ever tried electronic cigarettes and 6.85 million people who were currently using electronic cigarettes. Besides that, the population of use of electronic cigarettes are continuously increasing. Based on the research from Feng et al. (2018), in China, the percentage of smokers who had ever heard of electronic cigarettes increased from 29% to 60% starting from 2009 to 2014; the percentage of smokers who had ever used electronic cigarettes increased from 2% to 11% starting from 2009 to 2014; there were 8% of smokers who were still using electronic cigarettes in 2014. (p.102). Therefore, according to the data above and contemporary trends in use of electronic cigarettes, the number of electronic cigarette users will be going up by years in China.

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Research Question

       Based on the information above, the research question is: what are the key aspects and factors of being an electronic cigarette user in China? There are two important reasons for considering this research question. On the one hand, as more and more traditional cigarettes have been replaced by electronic cigarettes, the number of electronic cigarettes users are increasing. One purpose of this survey is to improve people’s understanding of the use of electronic cigarettes, to explore the reasons behind this increase in the use of electronic cigarettes and to know the common perspectives about electronic cigarettes. The collected data will not only effectively help people to understand the factors that contribute to electronic cigarette behavior but also to assist Chinese government to standardize electronic cigarette regulation. On the other hand, the rise of users makes the electronic cigarettes industries more likely to have a very bright future. However, if those industries want to be successful, they have to meet customers’ demands. This survey also helps them to know users’ preference for vaping. Therefore, based on the information, the electronic cigarettes industry will understand how to improve and standardize their products as well.

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Hypotheses

       According to the research question and its importance above, the hypotheses are: 1. Different ages have different demands for electronic cigarettes. 2. Different genders have different demands for electronic cigarettes. 3. People who have different educational levels have different demands for electronic cigarettes. 4. People who are ready to quit traditional tobacco have high demands for electronic cigarettes. 5. People whose friends or family members are electronic cigarettes users have a high possibility of trying electronic cigarettes. 6. The price is a factor that attracts people to become electronic cigarettes users. 7. Multiple flavors are factors that attract people to become electronic cigarettes users. 8. Social media is a factor that attracts people to become electronic cigarettes users.

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Sampling Procedures

       This survey will explore people’s perspectives and feelings of electronic cigarettes, so the target population will be ten thousand vaping users. The target population will be vaping users because only electronic cigarettes users have feelings of vaping, which will make non-vaping users understand more about electronic cigarettes. Based on their answers, the reasons they want to be vaping users can be explored. Consequently, the sampling frame will be a total list of ten thousand vaping users. The survey will use a method of simple random sampling. One thousand participants will be randomly selected as the sample from vaping users so that each sampling unit will have the same possibility of being selected. The reason for using this method is that the probability of each being selected will be equal; each sampling unit will be completely independent. In China, only people aged 18 or above can purchase or use tobacco and electronic cigarettes. Therefore, the type of respondents must be 18 years old adults or older to take part in this survey. This questionnaire will be designed based on all hypotheses above with their orders. This questionnaire will be posted on the social media and online survey websites or Apps.

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Questionnaire

       This questionnaire includes five parts which are Common Questions and Part 1 to Part 4. The questions are not exhaustive because each question indicates the research question and hypotheses. For Common Question, these questions should be included in all surveys that measure electronic cigarette use including age, gender, educational background and current smoking status, which means that 5 basic questions are used for setting the relationship with questions in Part 1 to Part 4. In this survey, the other questions cover additional important topics (hypotheses) related to the electronic cigarette use including tobacco cessation, relatives and friends, price and social media. Therefore, from the survey, we can find a suitable question and related indicator to analyze hypotheses. Also, we can incorporate two or more particular questions for finding the relationship among them if suitable.

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Common Questions:

Q1. How old are you?

a. 18-30 years old 

b. 31-40 years old

c. 41-50 years old

d. 51-60 years old

c. 61 years old and older

 

Q2. What is your sex?

a. Male

b. Female

 

Q3. What is your educational background?

a. Never had a professional education

b. Primary school degree

c. Secondary school degree

d. High school degree

e. Bachelor’s degree

f. Master’s degree

g. Philosophic Doctor

 

(The purpose of question 1 to question 3 is to distinguish the types of users including age, gender and educational background. In question 1, we can know the number of electronic cigarette users in different age groups so that we can analyze which age group has the largest or fewest number of electronic cigarette users and analyze which age group has the highest or lowest demand for electronic cigarettes. In question 2, we can know the number of electronic cigarette users in different genders so that we can analyze which gender has the largest or fewest number of electronic cigarette users and analyze which gender has the highest and lowest demand for electronic cigarettes. Similarly, in question 3, we can know the number of electronic cigarette users in different educational levels so that we can analyze which educational level has the largest or fewest number of electronic cigarette users and analyze which educational level has the highest or lowest demand for electronic cigarettes. Question 1 to 3 can incorporate questions 4, 5 and Part 1 to Part 4.)

 

Q4. How long have you used an electronic cigarette?

a. Less than 1 year

b. 1-2 years

c. 2-3 years

d. 3-4 years

e. More than 4 years

 

Q5. Please think about the days you smoke electronic cigarettes during the past 4 weeks. How many electronic cigarettes pods did you usually use per week?

a. Less than 1 pod

b. 1 pod

c. More than 1 pod but less than 2 pods

d. 2 pods

e. More than 2 pods but less than 3 pods

f. 3 pods

g. More than 3 pods

h. Don’t know

 

(The purpose of question 4 and 5 is to determine the current electronic cigarette smoking status of the respondents. These two questions are related to those three questions above because different ages, genders and educational backgrounds may affect the smoking status. On the contrary, smoking status is related to the demand level of electronic cigarette users as well, which will show which type of respondents has the highest or lowest demand for electronic cigarettes. The only concern for question 5 is that respondents may experience an increased or decreased ratio for electronic cigarette use. For example, during the part 2 weeks, a respondent may use more than two pods but less than 3 pods, but 1 week later, respondents may use more than 3 pods. Therefore, all respondents cannot provide a precise answer for this question.)

 

Part 1:

Q6. Have you ever smoked tobacco products?

a. Yes…………Ask Q7

b. No………..End part

 

Q7. Are you smoking electronic cigarettes because of quitting smoking tobacco products?

a. Yes…………Ask Q8

b. No………..End part

 

Q8. Have you ever successfully quitted smoking tobacco products because of using electronic cigarettes?

a. Yes

b. No

 

       (Question 6, 7 and 8 measure the relationship between the electronic cigarette users and those who quitted smoking tobacco products. Those questions mirror the fourth hypotheses above. In question 6, respondents will be asked about past tobacco use status. If the answer is No, question 7 and 8 will not be asked. In question 7, respondents will be asked if there is a connection between tobacco cessation and electronic cigarette use. If the answer is No, question 8 will not be asked. The respondents’ answer for this question mirrors if there exists a relationship or not. In question 8, respondents will be asked about the status of tobacco cessation. This question shows the rationality or irrationality to the people who intend to quit smoking tobacco by using electronic cigarettes.)

 

Part 2:

Q9. Do you have any friends or family members who are currently smoking electronic cigarettes?

a. I have friend/friends who is/are currently smoking electronic cigarette……Ask Q10

b. I have family member/members who is/are currently smoking electronic cigarette…Ask Q10

c. Both my friend/friends and family member/members are currently smoking electronic cigarettes…Ask Q10

d. I don’t have any friends or family members who are currently smoking electronic cigarette……………End part

e. I don’t know……End part

 

 

Q10. Are you an electronic cigarette user because of your friend/friends or family member/members?

a. Yes………Ask Q11

b. No……….End part

 

Q11. What is/are the reason/reasons that you are an electronic cigarette user because of your friend/friends or family member/members? (select one or more answers)

a. They recommended electronic cigarettes to me

b. I saw they vaped, so I wanted to try it

c. I was forced to smoke it

d. They tried to seduce me to smoke it

e. Others

 

       （This part measures the relationship between electronic cigarette users and their friends or relatives. In question 9, respondents are asked about the electronic cigarette use by their family members or friends. This question works for question 10 and 11. If the answer is d or e, question 10 and 11 will not be asked. In question 10, respondents are asked if there is a connection between their family members or friends and electronic cigarette use. If the answer is No, question 11 will not be asked. This question reflects if there exists a relationship or not. Respondents’ answers will explain one of the reasons for prevalence of electronic cigarette use. In question 11, respondents are asked the specific reasons that their family members or friends cause electronic cigarette use. This question will help electronic cigarette industries to promote their products and assist Chinese government to improve the official regulation for electronic cigarette. The only concern for the last question in this part is that the answers are not completed, which means that respondents may not find the best answers for them, so the option “Others” should be in one of the answers. However, the concern still exists because most respondents may choose “Others”, and we do not know the specific reasons.)

 

Part 3:

(If your choice is ‘Yes’ in Q6, you need to start from Q12. Otherwise, you need to start from Q14.)

 

Q12. What do you think about the price of tobacco and electronic cigarette?

a. Tobacco is more expensive than electronic cigarette……Ask Q13-16

b. Electronic cigarette is more expensive than tobacco……Ask Q14-16

c. The cost of them is equal……Ask Q14-16

 

Q13. Is the reason why you smoke an electronic cigarette other than tobacco because its price is lower?

a. Yes

b. No

 

Q14. What is the price of the electronic cigarette you are currently using?

a. Lower than 100 RMB

b. 100-200 RMB

c. Higher than 300 RMB

d. I don’t know

 

Q15. Do you think the price of your electronic cigarette is reasonable?

a. I think it is not reasonable……Ask Q16

b. I think it is reasonable……End part

c. I don’t care the price……End part

d. I don’t know……End part

 

Q16. What is the reasonable price of an electronic cigarette for you ?

a. Lower than 50 RMB

b. 50-100 RMB

c. 101-200 RMB

d. 201-300 RMB

e. Higher than 300 RMB

 

(Data from the 5 questions in this part aims at the price of electronic cigarettes. In this part, if the answer for question 6 is Yes, respondents should start with question 12. If the answer for question 6 is No, respondents should start with question 14. Question 12 asks for respondents’ perspectives for the price of tobacco and electronic cigarettes. Question 12 works for the following 4 questions. If the answer is a, question 13 to 16 will be asked. if the answer is b or c, question 14 to 16 will be asked. Question 13 asks if there is a connection between the price of electronic cigarette and electronic cigarette use. The respondents’ answer will reflect if there exists a relationship or not. Question 14 reflects the price of electronic cigarette respondents are currently using. Question 15 and 16 only asks for respondents’ perspective on the price of electronic cigarettes. In question 15, if the answer is b, c or d, question 16 will not be asked. The last two questions will help electronic cigarette industries to know the preference of users and adjust their price for better promotion.)

 

Part 4:

Q17. Have you ever seen any people using electronic cigarettes on social media platforms?

a. Yes……Ask Q18-19

b. No……Ask Q18-19

c. I have never used social media platform……End part

 

Q18. Have you ever seen any advertisements or promotions for electronic cigarettes on social media platforms? (If the answers of Q17 and 18 are No, then ignore Q19)

a. Yes

b. No

 

Q19. Are you smoking electronic cigarettes because of seeing any people using electronic cigarettes or seeing any advertisements or promotions for electronic cigarettes on social media platforms?

a. Yes

b. No

 

       (This part aims at the electronic cigarette on social media. There are two different aspects for electronic cigarettes on social media. On the one hand, in question 17, respondents should answer if they have seen people using electronic cigarettes or not on social media platforms. On the other hand, question 18 is about the advertisement or promotions for electronic cigarettes on social media platforms. For question 17, if the answer is No, question 18 and 19 will not be asked. For question 18, if the answer is No, Question 19 will not be asked. If both the answers of question 18 and 19 are No, question 19 will not be asked. In question 19, respondents are asked if there is a connection between one of the aspects for electronic cigarettes or both and electronic cigarette use. The data from question 19 will explain if social media platforms are one of the reasons that electronic cigarette use. Besides that, questions from part 4 will assist Chinese government to improve their official regulation for electronic cigarettes on social media.)

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Conclusion

       The challenge for this survey is the target population. China is a low-trust country because Chinese interpersonal trust is based on the relationship between two individuals. There are three trust problems for the questionnaire: 1. Respondents do not fully believe the confidential agreement by researchers. 2. Respondents are cautious about the questionnaire and researchers. 3. Respondents are defensive when they answer questions. Therefore, on the one hand, it is very hard to reach ten thousand electronic cigarettes users. On the other hand, although the problem for the target population is solved, it is also hard to get the fully precise and objective answers.

       The first concern for this survey is its incompleteness. The incompleteness includes the questions’ option and hypotheses. For the question’s option, the so-called incomplete answers to a question means that the respondents cannot find a suitable option, which will have a low precision for the questions. For hypotheses, the so-called incomplete hypotheses mean that the survey designers do not have a deeper research for their topics, so some possible reasons may not be considered. Therefore, in the question given, not all possible points can be asked.