A recent study discovered that teens who have never smoked traditional cigarettes or other tobacco products may be more susceptible to developing asthma if they vape.
Over the past few years, the popularity of e-cigarette vapes has skyrocketed, providing users with a less harmful alternative to regular cigarettes. E-cigarettes still have a variety of dangerous chemicals, though, which increases the risk of respiratory illnesses.
The study’s researchers used data from the Youth Risk Behaviour Surveillance System from 2015 to 2018 to identify the factors associated with e-cigarette use and investigate any potential associations between e-cigarette use and asthma among adolescents in Texas and the United States.
In this study, participants answered questions about their usage of e-cigarettes, the number of days they had used one in the previous 30 days, and whether or not a medical expert had ever informed them they had asthma. Risk factors that were taken into consideration by the researchers included gender, age, race and ethnicity, body mass index, the existence of symptoms of depression, and the use of other substances, including alcohol, illicit drugs, and conventional cigarettes.
The Youth Risk Behaviour Surveillance System is a nationwide survey that was started by the CDC in 1990 to track children’s and teenagers’ behaviours and experiences in order to assess social issues, disease, death, disability, and risk factor trends. The dataset concerned e-cigarette use among 3042 high school students in Texas, ages 13 to 17, and over 32,000 teenagers nationwide between 2015 and 2019. The researchers used multivariable logistic regression and stratified analyses to evaluate the data.
In Texas (odds ratio [OR], 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.66) and nationwide (OR, 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.37) among teenagers who had never used traditional tobacco products, a link between e-cigarette usage and asthma was discovered after controlling for variables.
In addition, there was a correlation found between the use of e-cigarettes and certain risk factors related to depression, substance abuse, and demography. Higher odds of ever using e-cigarettes were associated with male gender (adjusted OR [aOR], 1.19; 95% CI, 1.07-1.32; P <.05), previous combustible use (aOR, 14.1; 95% CI, 11.3-17.7; P <.05), substance use (aOR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.05-1.61; P <.05), and depression (aOR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.80-2.49; P <.05). Meanwhile, age (aOR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.00-1.15; P <.05) and White race (aOR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.34-0.54; P <.05) were associated with current e-cigarette use.
In Texas, 13% of teenagers currently use e-cigarettes, compared to 44% who said they have used them in the past. Furthermore, compared to non-Hispanic White teenagers living in Texas, Hispanic teenagers had a considerably lower likelihood of having used e-cigarettes (aOR, 0.61, 95% CI, 0.52-0.72; P <.05). But generally, the researchers did not find any appreciable variations in e-cigarette use among racial and ethnic groups in the US.
The study’s cross-sectional design, use of self-reported data, and exclusion of socioeconomic status from the analysis are among its shortcomings, as the researchers noted.
The study provides pertinent context to the burdens associated with asthma and the rising use of e-cigarettes among adolescents in the United States, the investigators believe, even though they still need more research to identify risk factors that may be linked to lower e-cigarette use among Hispanic teenagers residing in Texas. Additionally, the researchers anticipate that this study can aid in public health initiatives aimed at curbing e-cigarette usage.
According to Taehyun Roh, PhD, assistant professor at Texas A&M University School of Public Health and the study’s lead author, improving knowledge about the harmful effects of e-cigarette use, implementing stricter regulations, and promoting alternative coping mechanisms for mental health are potential interventions to mitigate e-cigarette use.
