Electronic cigarettes use among teenagers in Tunisia

Abstract

Introduction

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered devices developed with the goal of mimicking the action of smoking. Their use has increased over the past years.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of the use of e-cigarettes among teenagers in high school and to examine the predictor factors.

Methods

A survey was conducted with a sample of 234 students in Mohamed Ali high school in Sfax, a town in the south of Tunisia, in February 2020. We estimated e-cigarette prevalence among adolescents and the predictor factors of vaping.

Results

Among high school students aged 15 to 20, 58,8% have ever used e-cigarette, 38,3% had done so within the previous 30 days and 20,5 % were regular users of vapes. The mean age of e-cigarette users was 16,59 +/- 0,908 years old, 83,3% of e-cigarettes users were males. Male gender, high socio-economic level, practicing leisure activities, smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol were associated with regular use of e-cigarettes. Overall, 51, 6% of never smoking students reported ever use of e-cigarettes. The main reason for initiating e-cigarettes use was curiosity (65%).

Conclusions

Our findings showed the significant use of e-cigarettes among high school students thus it would be interesting to provide adolescents with information about the use of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.