Electronic cigarettes use in COVID-19 era among students of a tertiary institution in Nigeria

• Published in: African journal of primary health care & family medicine 2023, Vol.15 (1), p.e1-e10
• Main Authors: Ogwa, Oluwafunmike A., Abiola, Abdulhakeem O., Kanma-Okafor, Oluchi J., Olufunlayo, Tolulope F., Shopeyin-Dosunmu, Azeezat O., Akodu, Babatunde A., Ogwa, Omonigho D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biology; College students; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; E-cigarettes; Electronic cigarettes; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; Female; gstudents; Health aspects; Health Care Sciences & Services; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; knowledge of e-cigarettes; Male; Medicine, General & Internal; Nigeria; Nigeria - epidemiology; Original Research; Pandemics; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Students; Surveys and Questionnaires; use of electronic cigarettes; Young Adult; Young adults
• ISSN: 2071-2928; 2071-2936; 2071-2936
• DOI: 10.4102/phcfm.v15i1.3704

Background Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is becoming popular among undergraduate students in Nigeria with a tendency for escalation because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Aim The aim of this study was to assess electronic cigarette use in COVID-19 era among undergraduate students of a tertiary institution in Lagos state, Southwestern Nigeria.Setting A tertiary institution in Southwestern Nigeria.Methods The study design was a descriptive cross-sectional study with a pretested, structured, close- and open-ended self-administered questionnaire used for collection of data on knowledge, attitude and use of e-cigarettes.Results Data from 183 respondents were analysed. The mean age of respondents was 24.8 ± 3.38 years, most (63%) of whom were males. The prevalence of ever-use of e-cigarettes was 15.3% of which 60.7% reported increased use of e-cigarettes since the COVID-19 pandemic. Age, education, tribe and religion (p