Oct 28, 2015 01:30 PM EDT By J Dionne, UniversityHerald Reporter

New research suggests that using e-cigarettes could lead to problematic drinking.

Researchers from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis reveal that more women than men use e-cigarettes socially, opposite to patterns seen in regular cigarette smoking. Their findings also suggest that it's crucial to consider the knock-on effects of e-cigarette use when evaluating their safety, not just their direct health effects.

"This area of research is extremely important and I don't want it to get pushed to the side," Alexandra Hershberger, lead author of the study, said in a statement. "Establishing the direct health effects of e-cigarette use is important but it's vital to look at the secondary effects too."

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, were developed to mimic real cigarettes, giving users the same look, feel and experience as smoking a cigarette. They are widely promoted as a 'healthy' alternative to smoking and as support devices for smoking cessation. More than 6 percent of the general population -- and 17 percent of people with addictions -- use e-cigarettes.

For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data from 1,400 people. They surveyed people who drink alcohol using a modified version of the Nicotine and Other Substance Interaction Expectancy Questionnaire (NOSIE) to find out whether people expected to use e-cigarettes and alcohol together.

The survey revealed that drinking alcohol leads to e-cigarette use and vice versa. E-cigarette users were significantly more likely to drink problematically than non-users in both groups. What's more, people who expected to use e-cigarettes and alcohol together reported drinking more.

The results suggest that using e-cigarettes to quit smoking could mean people miss out on the benefits of quitting; smoking cessation generally results in people drinking less alcohol, but using e-cigarettes means this decrease may not happen.

"If you quit smoking cold turkey, it affects other behaviors associated with smoking, such as drinking," Hershberger said. "By replacing smoking with e-cigarette use, it could be that you're at risk of continuing behaviors you don't want to continue. This is particularly serious for people with alcohol addiction - using e-cigarettes could make it harder to stop drinking."

The findings are detailed in the journal Addictive Behaviors.

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