Table 4 Beliefs and attitudes towards e-cigarettes and prescribing intentions of e-cigarettes at T1 and T2

E-cigs are a gateway to smoking*^

Strongly/somewhat disagree

Neither/nor

Strongly/somewhat agree

n = 7 (21.2%)

n = 16 (48.5%)

n = 10 (30.3%)

n = 22 (10.7%)

n = 68 (33.2%)

n = 115 (56.1%)

χ² = 8.1

df = 2

p = 0.018

n = 4 (20.0%)

n = 5 (25.0%)

n = 11 (55.0%)

n = 3 (4.4%)

n = 10 (14.7%)

n = 55 (80.9%)

χ² = 7.1 df = 2

p = 0.029

E-cigs can be addictive*^

Strongly/somewhat disagree

Neither/nor

Strongly/somewhat agree

n = 1 (3.0%)

n = 4 (12.1%)

n = 28 (84.8%)

n = 2 (1.0%)

n = 16 (7.8%)

n = 187 (91.2%)

χ² = 1.7

df = 2

p = 0.425

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 20 (100%)

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 68 (100%)

E-cigs can be regarded as a type of smoking cessation aid*^

Strongly/somewhat disagree

Neither/nor

Strongly/somewhat agree

n = 1 (3.0%)

n = 3 (9.1%)

n = 29 (87.9%)

n = 63 (30.7%)

n = 53 (25.9%)

n = 89 (43.4%)

χ² = 22.8

df = 2

p = < 0.001

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 20 (100%)

n = 28 (41.2%)

n = 17 (25.0%)

n = 23 (33.8%)

χ² = 27.1

df = 2

p = < 0.001

E-cigs can decrease the number of cigarettes smoked*^

Strongly/somewhat disagree

Neither/nor

Strongly/somewhat agree

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 3 (9.1%)

n = 30 (90.9%)

n = 25 (12.2%)

n = 47 (22.9%)

n = 133 (64.9%)

χ² = 9.4

df = 2

p = 0.009

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 1 (5.0%)

n = 19 (95.0%)

n = 11 (16.2%)

n = 15 (22.1%)

n = 42 (61.8%)

χ² = 8.2 df = 2

p = 0.017

E-cigs can lower the risk of tobacco-related diseases*^

Strongly/somewhat disagree

Neither/nor

Strongly/somewhat agree

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 4 (12.1%)

n = 29 (87.9%)

n = 39 (19.0%)

n = 77 (37.6%)

n = 89 (43.4%)

χ² = 23.0

df = 2

p = < 0.001

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 1 (5.0%)

n = 19 (95.0%)

n = 21 (30.9%)

n = 17 (25.0%)

n = 30 (44.1%)

χ² = 16.4

df = 2

p = < 0.001

E-cigs can help patients quit smoking*^

Strongly/somewhat disagree

Neither/nor

Strongly/somewhat agree

n = 1 (3.0%)

n = 4 (12.1%)

n = 28 (84.8%)

n = 60 (29.3%)

n = 65 (31.7%)

n = 80 (39.0%)

χ² = 24.5 df = 2

p = < 0.001

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 1 (5.0%)

n = 19 (95.0%)

n = 27 (39.7%)

n = 16 (23.5%)

n = 25 (36.8%)

χ² = 21.2 df = 2

p = < 0.001

E-cigs are safer than regular cigarettes*^

Strongly/somewhat disagree

Neither/nor

Strongly/somewhat agree

n = 1 (3.0%)

n = 7 (21.2%)

n = 25 (75.8%)

n = 69 (33.7%)

n = 64 (31.2%)

n = 72 (35.1%)

χ² = 21.5

df = 2

p = < 0.001

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 3 (15.0%)

n = 17 (85.0%)

n = 24 (35.3%)

n = 23 (33.8%)

n = 21 (30.9%)

χ² = 19.4 df = 2

p = < 0.001

E-cigs have adverse health effects*^#

Strongly/somewhat disagree

Neither/nor

Strongly/somewhat agree

n = 1 (3.0%)

n = 7 (21.2%)

n = 25 (75.8%)

n = 9 (4.4%)

n = 19 (9.3%)

n = 177 (86.3%)

χ² = 4.2 df = 2

p = 0.122

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 3 (15.8%)

n = 16 (84.2%)

n = 1 (1.5%)

n = 2 (2.9%)

n = 65 (95.6%)

χ² = 4.8 df = 2

p = 0.093

E-cigs are less harmful than regular cigarettes*^

Strongly/somewhat disagree

Neither/nor

Strongly/somewhat agree

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 5 (15.2%)

n = 28 (84.4%)

n = 47 (22.9%)

n = 72 (35.1%)

n = 86 (42.0%)

χ² = 22.0

df = 2

p = < 0.001

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 2 (10.0%)

n = 18 (90.0%)

n = 22 (32.4%)

n = 20 (29.4%)

n = 26 (38.2%)

χ² = 17.1

df = 2

p = < 0.001

E-cig use is harmful for the health of the user*^

Strongly/somewhat disagree

Neither/nor

Strongly/somewhat agree

n = 2 (6.1%)

n = 8 (24.2%)

n = 23 (69.7%)

n = 6 (2.9%)

n = 26 (12.7%)

n = 173 (84.4%)

χ² = 4.2 df = 2

p = 0.120

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 3 (15.0%)

n = 17 (85.0%)

n = 0 (0.0%)

n = 2 (2.9%)

n = 66 (97.1%)

χ² = 4.2

df = 1

p = 0.041

E-cigs are carcinogenic*^

Strongly/somewhat disagree

Neither/nor

Strongly/somewhat agree

n = 11 (33.3%)

n = 17 (51.5%)

n = 5 (15.2%)

n = 12 (5.9%)

n = 122 (59.5%)

n = 71 (34.6%)

χ² = 25.9

df = 2

p = < 0.001

n = 8 (40.0%)

n = 10 (50.0%)

n = 2 (10.0%)

n = 4 (5.9%)

n = 36 (52.9%)

n = 28 (41.2%)

χ² = 17.6 df = 2

p = < 0.001

E-cigs are more effective than other smoking cessation aids*^

Strongly/somewhat disagree

Neither/nor

Strongly/somewhat agree

n = 10 (30.3%)

n = 15 (45.5%)

n = 8 (24.2%)

n = 127 (62.0%)

n = 70 (34.1%)

n = 8 (3.9%)

χ² = 23.5

df = 2

p = < 0.001

n = 5 (25.0%)

n = 11 (55.0%)

n = 4 (20.0%)

n = 51 (75.0%)

n = 15 (22.1%)

n = 2 (2.9%)

χ² = 18.3 df = 2

p = < 0.001