OBJECTIVES: Use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) has increased in recent years. However, healthcare professionals’ knowledge and perceptions of ENDS are not well known. This study assessed the knowledge and perceptions of ENDS among student pharmacists.

METHODS: A 37-item cross sectional electronic questionnaire was administered to all third- and fourth-year student pharmacists enrolled at one US college of pharmacy (N=256). The questionnaire consisted of 20 multiple-choice knowledge items, 15 Likert-type perception statements (response options: disagree, somewhat disagree, somewhat agree, agree), and two descriptive items. Data were collected over six weeks in March/April 2022. Data were analyzed by assigning one point for each correct knowledge item, and then summing to create a total knowledge score for each person. Differences in the proportion of students who correctly answered each knowledge item were compared between year groups using a chi-square test, while differences between year groups for total knowledge score were compared using a two-sample t-test. Perception statements were scored from zero to three (0=disagree, 1=somewhat disagree, 2=somewhat agree, 3=agree). Differences between groups for each perception statement were compared using a Mann-Whitney U test. The a priori alpha level was 0.05.

RESULTS: Fifty students (third year=30, fourth year=20; female=60%) completed the survey (19.5% response rate). Student level of ENDS knowledge varied depending on the item. There was no statistically significant difference between third- and fourth-years students for each knowledge item (p>0.05), for total mean knowledge scores (third year=12.5±3.3, fourth year=11.2±3.1, p=0.1780), or for median perception scores (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this survey of student pharmacists at one US college of pharmacy indicate a need for more education around ENDS for student pharmacists so that they are better able to counsel patients on their use. Further research among a larger sample of student pharmacists is required to improve the external validity of these findings.