LOS ANGELES, Oct. 17, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At the CHEST Annual Meeting 2016 in Los Angeles, results from an online questionnaire sent to members of the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) earlier this year revealed that perceptions of e-cigarette harms and benefits among lung health professionals vary.

More than two-thirds of the 773 respondents perceive e-cigarettes to be harmful. Opinion is split evenly about whether e-cigarettes effectively promote smoking cessation. While most respondents reported that their patients asked for a professional opinion about e-cigarettes, many providers reported they are not comfortable discussing health effects of these products.

"The survey illustrates that patients are seeking professional advice regarding e-cigarette use, but there is no consensus on the harms and benefits of these products among health care providers," says Dr. Stephen Baldassarri, a fellow in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Yale School of Medicine and lead researcher. "Data on these products are limited and providers may be offering conflicting recommendations. This emphasizes the need for more thorough investigation on the risks, benefits and relative harm of e-cigarettes compared to traditional tobacco smoking."

Further study results will be shared at CHEST Annual Meeting 2016 in Los Angeles on Sunday, October 23 from 7:45am - 8:00am at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Room 409B. The study abstract can be viewed on the website of the journal CHEST.

CHEST 2016 is the 82nd annual meeting for the American College of Chest Physicians, held October 22-26, 2016, in Los Angeles, California. The American College of Chest Physicians, publisher of the journal CHEST, is the global leader in advancing best patient outcomes through innovative chest medicine education, clinical research and team-based care. Its mission is to champion the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases through education, communication and research. It serves as an essential connection to clinical knowledge and resources for its 19,000 members from around the world who provide patient care in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. For more information about CHEST 2016, visit chestmeeting.chestnet.org, or follow CHEST meeting hashtag, #CHEST2016, on social media.

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CONTACT: Andrea Rodriguez
         American College of Chest Physicians
         Public Relations Consultant
         andrea.j.rodriguez@gmail.com
         312/833.7947