Self-reported physical health among people who switched from traditional cigarettes to heated tobacco products: a large-scale national survey

Abstract Background Traditional cigarettes (TC) are regarded as more hazardous compared to heated tobacco products (HTPs). However, mainly from ethical reasons, there are no well-designed studies examining the health impact of exposure to HTPs. This study aimed to assess and compare self-reported physical health implications of respondents smoking traditional cigarettes and HTPs. Methods The survey was conducted in 2,500 adults who had smoked TC for at least a year and after quitting them had been using HTPs for a minimum of six months. The questions, between other issues, aimed to determine and compare the opinion of respondents on impact of smoking cigarettes and using HTPs on physical health, physical condition, and physical health symptoms. Results Comparing TC and HTPs, 54.2% of the respondents indicated that TC were worse for their physical health, in turn 5.2% of respondents pointed to HTPs as worse. Similarly, 61.9% of respondents viewed TCs as more harmful to their physical condition, while 25% believed that more harmful are HTPs. Traditional cigarettes had reportedly more pronounced negative impact on various physical signs and symptoms. Conclusions Most people who switched from traditional cigarettes to HTPs perceive traditional cigarettes as more harmful to their physical health. Most believe also that traditional cigarettes more negatively affect physical endurance and various physical signs and symptoms. Age appears to be the main demographic factor influencing perceptions, while other variables such as sex, income, and education have only minor effects.