The e-cigarette survey prompt application is designed for Android smartphones. This mobile application allows researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago to gain self-regulated data from all users involved in the study. This report details a previous project application, from which the application was design. A detailed explanation of the capabilities and user interactions with the application is documented through figures and text. Finally, the changes and complications which arose during the application’s development are discussed, with the final product outlined at the end of the report.

The effects of tobacco use have been long studied and are well understood. The carcinogens from smoking tobacco have been associated with a wide swath of terminal or debilitating ailments. Because of the serious health risks associated with smoking tobacco, cigarette use is well-regulated with long-standing legislation in place to help reduce its impact on individuals and the public.

Recently, E-cigarettes have been developed and advertized as an acceptable, healthier alternative to smoking traditional tobacco cigarettes. However, there is no regulation in place for the use of e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes and electronic vaporizers are fairly new to the market and as of yet there are no warning labels on electronic tobacco paraphernalia, nor is there a ban on the sale of E-cigarettes to minors. In order for the Food and Drug Administration to regulate the manufacturing, marketing, and consumption of e-cigarette products, data must first be gathered on the characteristics of its users.

Some of the main users of electronic tobacco products are young adults and people who want to quit smoking. A pervasive public opinion of e-cigarette users is that the vapor which they produce is not as harmful as the carcinogenic tobacco smoke of regular cigarettes. Unfortunately, not enough research reports have been published to substantiate this belief. The aim of this project was to better understand the usage patterns of young e-cigarette users and supply the federal Food and Drug Administration with these data.

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Thomas-Ramos, G., E-cigarette Survey Prompt Application for Android Mobile Devices, Thesis submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science, Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Chicago, August 15th, 2014.