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Focus Groups on ENDS: Device Types, User Experiences, and Product Appeal

Principal Investigator: Jennifer Alexander, Blair Coleman, and Sarah Johnson

Funding Mechanism: Research Contract

ID number: HHSF223201110005B

Award Date: 9/1/2015

Institution: RTI International

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), including e-cigarettes, are growing in popularity. The goal of this study is to understand how ENDS device characteristics influence users’ experiences, and how these experiences shape ENDS use behavior, beliefs, and attitudes. Researchers will conduct 23 focus groups with a total of 156 participants who are users of "cigalikes" (non-customizable devices that look similar to cigarettes) or "tank systems" (advanced-generation, customizable devices). Focus groups will be conducted in four locations -- New York, NY; Chicago, IL; Memphis, TN; and Denver, CO – and will be segmented by type of device used. Groups will be conducted with young adults (ages 18-29 years) and adults (ages 30+ years); and will include a mix of ages, sex, races/ethnicities, education levels, and rural/urban geography.