Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39928402›Full record

Observational studyJournal of medical Internet research2025

Spatiotemporal Characteristics and Influential Factors of Electronic Cigarette Web-Based Attention in Mainland China: Time Series Observational Study.

Zhongmin Zhang, Hengyi Xu, Jing Pan, Fujian Song, Ting Chen

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of medical Internet research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Zhongmin ZhangHealthy Hubei Development and Social Progress Research Center of the Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences in Hubei Province, School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5134-9848
Hengyi XuHealthy Hubei Development and Social Progress Research Center of the Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences in Hubei Province, School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5161-8673
Jing PanSchool of Xiangtao, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4437-4633
Fujian SongNorwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4039-1531
Ting ChenHealthy Hubei Development and Social Progress Research Center of the Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences in Hubei Province, School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0691-3874

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has steadily increased, prompting a considerable number of individuals to search for relevant information on them. Previous e-cigarette infodemiology studies have focused on assessing the quality and reliability of website content and quantifying the impact of policies. In reality, most low-income countries and low- and middle-income countries have not yet conducted e-cigarette use surveillance. Data sourced from web-based search engines related to e-cigarettes have the potential to serve as cost-effective supplementary means to traditional monitoring approaches.

objectiveThis study aimed to analyze the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and associated sociodemographic factors of e-cigarette searches using trends from the Baidu search engine.

methodsThe query data related to e-cigarettes for 31 provinces in mainland China were retrieved from the Baidu index database from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2022. Concentration ratio methods and spatial autocorrelation analysis were applied to analyze the temporal aggregation and spatial aggregation of the e-cigarette Baidu index, respectively. A variance inflation factor test was performed to avoid multicollinearity. A spatial panel econometric model was developed to assess the determinants of e-cigarette web-based attention.

resultsThe daily average Baidu index for e-cigarettes increased from 53,234.873 in 2015 to 85,416.995 in 2021 and then declined to 52,174.906 in 2022. This index was concentrated in the southeastern coastal region, whereas the hot spot shifted to the northwestern region after adjusting for population size. Positive spatial autocorrelation existed in the per capita Baidu index of e-cigarettes from 2015 to 2022. The results of the local Moran's I showed that there were mainly low-low cluster areas of the per capita Baidu index, especially in the central region. Furthermore, the male-female ratio, the proportion of high school and above education, and the per capita gross regional domestic product were positively correlated with the per capita Baidu index for e-cigarettes. A higher urbanization rate was associated with a reduced per capita Baidu index.

conclusionsWith the increasing popularity of web-based searches for e-cigarettes, a targeted e-cigarette health education program for individuals in the northwest, males, rural populations, high school and above educated individuals, and high-income groups is warranted.

Indexed as

Electronic Nicotine Delivery SystemsInternetAdultChinaFemaleHumansMaleSpatio-Temporal AnalysisBaidu indexChinaelectronic cigarettesspatiotemporal characteristicsweb-based attention

Identifiers

PMID39928402
PMCPMC11851045

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.