Electronic-cigarette smoking experience among adolescents

J Adolesc Health. 2011 Nov;49(5):542-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.08.001.

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the level of awareness and contact routes to electronic cigarette (e-cigarette), and to identify significant factors that may affect adolescent use of e-cigarettes; this study explores the experience of e-cigarettes among adolescents.

Methods: Using the data from the 2008 Health Promotion Fund Project in Korea, we used a hierarchical logistic regression analysis to evaluate gender, level of school, family smoking, perception of peer influence, satisfaction in school life, and cigarette smoking experience as predictors of trying e-cigarettes among adolescents in five schools in Korea.

Results: Overall, 444 (10.2%) students responded as having seen or heard of e-cigarettes. Twenty-two (.5%) students reported as having used an e-cigarette. The contact routes of information on e-cigarettes were the Internet (249, 46.4%), friends (150, 27.9%), television (59, 11.0%), books (50, 9.3%), and others (29, 5.4%). The following factors were determined to be statistically significant predictors of e-cigarette experience: male gender, perception of peer influence, satisfaction in school life, and cigarette smoking experience.

Conclusions: In light of this fact, continuous attention needs to be paid on the marketing of e-cigarettes on Internet sites to prevent adolescents from being exposed to unsupported claims about e-cigarettes and to provide appropriate information on health effects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Inhalation
  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior / psychology*
  • Attitude to Health
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Media
  • Nebulizers and Vaporizers / statistics & numerical data*
  • Nicotine / administration & dosage*
  • Peer Group
  • Republic of Korea
  • Risk Factors
  • Smoking / epidemiology*
  • Smoking / psychology*
  • Smoking Prevention
  • Tobacco, Smokeless*

Substances

  • Nicotine