Awareness, current use of electronic cigarettes and associated smoking factors in Zhejiang Chinese adolescents

Knowledge and Attitude toward E-Cigarettes among First Year University Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Electronic cigarettes are immensely popular among youths across the globe. However, knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions regarding their use vary by country. The present study investigated the knowledge and attitudes toward e-cigarette use among first-year university students in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was adopted, and an online, self-administered questionnaire assessing the knowledge of and attitudes toward e-cigarette use was utilized to conduct this study. The study population included students from all streams enrolled in their first year of university. Descriptive statistics were used to report percentages and frequencies, while advanced statistics, such as multiple logistic regression analyses, were used to determine associations.

RESULTS

The lifetime and current prevalence of e-cigarette use was 27.4% and 13.5%, respectively, among first-year university students. The mean age of smoking initiation was 16.4 ± 1.2 years. Of e-cigarette users, 31.3% smoked every day and 86.7% used flavored e-cigarettes. Knowledge of the harmful effects of e-cigarettes was high (addiction, 61.2%; asthma, 61%; nicotine content, 75.2%). However, when comparing e-cigarettes to regular cigarettes, only 22.5% and 48.4% of the students reported that they carry the same risk and contain the same chemicals as regular cigarettes do. There was a lack of knowledge (17.1%) regarding government regulations related to e-cigarettes. An attitude of support was observed regarding banning e-cigarettes (2.6 ± 1.5 on a scale of 0 to 4), while at the same time, some associated e-cigarette use with helping to reduce tobacco dependency (2.1 ± 1.2). Marketing adverts were agreed upon to positively influence youth (1.9 ± 1.4). However, the participants' perceptions relating e-cigarette use to style were not well articulated. Significant gender differences were found: most of the women who participated in the study had better knowledge of e-cigarettes (p < 0.001). Being male, having higher income status (OR = 1.67; p = 0.013), being a current smoker (OR = 11.6; p < 0.001), and having intention for future use (OR = 3.45; p < 0.001) were strong predictors of e-cigarette use.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggested the increasing popularity of e-cigarette use among male first-year university students. More educational campaigns and stricter regulations are needed to curb this trend.

E-cigarette-related beliefs, behaviors, and policy support among young people in China

INTRODUCTION

China has recently introduced a range of e-cigarette control policies with a focus on addressing an increase in youth vaping. This study aimed to investigate a wide range of e-cigarette-related attitudes and behaviors in a national sample of Chinese adolescents and young adults to obtain insights into their exposure to, experiences with, and attitudes to e-cigarettes on the cusp of new regulations coming into force.

METHODS

An online survey was administered to a sample of 1062 adolescents and young adults (aged 15-30 years) in China in November-December 2021. Quotas were applied to achieve an approximately equal gender split, representation across age sub-groups (15-17, 18-20, 21-23, 24-26, and 27-30 years), and approximately two-thirds representing low- and middle-income groups. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) were also calculated.

RESULTS

Just under half (47%) reported no knowledge of e-cigarettes and/or vaping. One in five reported ever using e-cigarettes ('even once or twice'), 8% reported being current users, and 3% reported being daily users. Around twothirds of those who had heard of e-cigarettes/vaping had friends who vaped and had seen e-cigarette advertising. Fruit flavors were most popular, and the most frequently nominated reasons for vaping were to cut down on cigarette smoking and because a friend used them. The factors positively associated with ever use of e-cigarettes were current tobacco smoking (AOR=68.26) or previous tobacco smoking (AOR=39.15) and having friends who vape (AOR=1.76). Perceptions of addictiveness were negatively associated with ever use (AOR=0.47). Strong support was evident for most assessed e-cigarette control policies.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that young people in China have been able to access and use e-cigarettes, although rates of regular use are low. Generally, high levels of expressed support for a range of e-cigarette control policies among members of this age group suggest the new regulatory environment is consistent with their policy preferences.

The prevalence of electronic cigarettes vaping globally: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this systematic review study was to determine the national, regional, and global prevalence of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) vaping.

METHOD

The articles were searched in July 2020 without a time limit in Web of Science (ISI), Scopus, PubMed, and Ovid-MEDLINE. At first, the titles and abstracts of the articles were reviewed, and if they were appropriate, they entered the second stage of screening. In the second stage, the whole articles were reviewed and articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected. In this study, search, selection of studies, qualitative evaluation, and data extraction were performed by two authors independently, and any disagreement between the two authors was reviewed and corrected by a third author.

RESULTS

In this study, the lifetime and current prevalence of e-cigarettes vaping globally were 23% and 11%, respectively. Lifetime and current prevalence of e-cigarettes vaping in women were 16% and 8%, respectively. Also, lifetime and current prevalence of e-cigarettes vaping in men were 22% and 12%, respectively. In this study, the current prevalence of e-cigarettes vaping in who had lifetime smoked conventional cigarette was 39%, and in current smokers was 43%. The lifetime prevalence of e-cigarettes vaping in the Continents of America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania were 24%, 26%, 16%, and 25%, respectively. The current prevalence of e-cigarettes vaping in the Continents of America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania were 10%, 14%, 11%, and 6%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the popularity of e-cigarettes is increasing globally. Therefore, it is necessary for countries to have more control over the consumption and distribution of e-cigarettes, as well as to formulate the laws prohibiting about the e-cigarettes vaping in public places. There is also a need to design and conduct information campaigns to increase community awareness about e-cigarettes vaping.

[Current use of electronic cigarettes among never smoker high school students]

OBJECTIVE

To test whether electronic cigarettes use among secondary school students in Spain is associated with initiating nicotine use.

METHOD

Secondary analysis of the ESTUDES 2019 survey, a cross-sectional study conducted on a representative sample of students aged 14-18 years and selected students who had never smoked (n=16,705). We computed the prevalence and estimated the factors associated with current electronic cigarettes use (at least once in the month before the interview), with and without nicotine.

RESULTS

The prevalence of current electronic cigarettes use among students who have never smoked is 2.5% (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 2.2-2.9). 0.1% (95%CI: 0.08-0.2) declared using liquids with nicotine at least sometimes and 2.4% (95%CI: 2.1-2.8) using liquids always without nicotine. Being male and under 17 years of age, reporting binge drinking behavior, and having regular friends who use cannabis, increases the probability of current use of electronic cigarettes. The latter two variables seem to act as contextual variables associated with electronic cigarettes use.

CONCLUSIONS

The percentage of Spanish never smoker students who currently use electronic cigarettes is lower than in neighboring countries, except for the United Kingdom. Only one in every 1000 Spanish students between 14 and 18 years old who have never smoked initiates the current use of nicotine with an electronic cigarette. However, we must monitor the evolution of this indicator.

Awareness and use of e-cigarettes among university students in Shanghai, China

INTRODUCTION

The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in adults is increasing globally, and similar trends may be observed in the young population. Our objective was to estimate the awareness and use of e-cigarettes among the students from two comprehensive universities in Shanghai, China, and to identify the factors that may influence their decision to use e-cigarettes and their possible adverse effects.

METHODS

An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among the students of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Fudan University. A total of 869 students (412 males and 457 females), mean age 21.09 years (SD=2.44), were recruited in 2018. Multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the associations between ever e-cigarette use and influencing factors.

RESULTS

Of the responding students, 88.4% were aware of e-cigarettes, 4.6% had used e-cigarettes at least once in their lifetime, and 1.7% were current e-cigarettes users. Males and smokers were more likely to use e-cigarettes (ever used e-cigarettes even once) than females (OR=3.51; 95% CI: 1.69–7.27; p=0.001) and non-smokers (OR=28.58; 95% CI: 14.03–58.20; p<0.001). University students were easily motivated to use e-cigarettes when their peers also used them, and the risk ratio was 4.15 (95% CI: 2.11–8.19) compared with if their peers never used e-cigarettes. The major factors found to motivate university students to use e-cigarettes were the belief that e-cigarettes were less harmful or not harmful (55.0%) and the perception that e-cigarettes were helpful to quit smoking (37.5%). The survey also indicated that 72.4% of the respondents heard about e-cigarettes from television advertisements, 42.7% from websites online, and 41.2% from their parents and friends.

CONCLUSIONS

University students who were males, cigarette smokers and whose peers used e-cigarettes were more likely to use e-cigarettes. The use of traditional cigarettes should be controlled strictly in order to reduce the likelihood of e-cigarette use among university students.

Exposure to e-cigarette advertising, attitudes, and use susceptibility in adolescents who had never used e-cigarettes or cigarettes

Background

Tobacco advertisements have been banned in Hong Kong, but low intensity e-cigarette (EC) advertising can still be found in various media outlets. We investigated the associations between exposure to EC advertising and susceptibility to EC use in adolescents who had never used cigarettes or ECs, with potential mediation by attitudes towards ECs and the tobacco industry.

Methods

The School-based Smoking Survey 2016/17 assessed exposure to EC advertising in the past 30 days, attitudes towards ECs and the tobacco industry, susceptibility to EC use, and other covariates. Generalised linear mixed models and multiple mediation analysis methods were used in data analyses.

Results

Among 7082 students (mean age 14.9 years), 28.8% reported exposure to EC advertising. Exposure was associated with being uncertain about the harm of EC use, being tolerant towards ECs, believing the tobacco industry is respectable, and being susceptible to EC use; the magnitudes of these associations increased with the number of types of advertising exposed (0, 1, and ≥ 2) (all p-values < 0.01). These attitudinal factors were in turn associated with EC use susceptibility (all p-values < 0.001). The perception that tobacco companies make youth smoke was not associated with the advertising exposure or EC use susceptibility. Of the total effects of EC advertising on use susceptibility, only 16.6% were mediated by attitudinal factors: perceived harm (3.1%), attitudes towards ECs (8.2%), and attitudes towards the tobacco industry (4.9%).

Conclusions

Even exposure to low intensity EC advertising was associated with susceptibility to EC use in adolescents who had never used cigarettes or ECs. The association was weakly mediated by tolerant attitudes towards ECs and the tobacco industry. The government should reinforce the regulations on EC advertising to protect adolescent health.