CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH AWARENESS AND USE OF ELECTRONIC NICOTINE DELIVERY SYSTEM (ENDS) AMONG STUDENTS ENROLLED IN HEALTH SCIENCE PROGRAMS

• Published in: Value in health 2017-05, Vol.20 (5), p.A201
• Main Authors: Hoong, GY, Dujaili, JA, Blebil, AQ, Ahmed, SI
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cigarette smoking; Cigarettes; Citizenship; College students; Demography; Electronic cigarettes; Fathers; Health risks; Health sciences; Internet; Medical students; Mothers; Nicotine; Polls & surveys; Race; Risk behavior; Sensation seeking; Smoke; Smoking; Sociodemographics; Undergraduate students
• ISSN: 1098-3015; 1524-4733
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2017.05.005

OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to assess the demographic characteristics associated with the awareness and use of electronic-cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among students enrolled in health science programs. METHODS: A web-based survey was conducted between July 1st and August 31st, 2016 among active undergraduate students of International Medical University (IMU) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The survey contained 31 items about sociodemographic characteristics, e-cigarette awareness, perceptions and use, as well as conventional cigarette smoking, health-risk and sensation seeking behaviours (SSB). Binary logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with e-cigarette use. RESULTS: A total of 404 students were enrolled in the study. The vast majority of our cohort were aware of an e-cigarettes (94.78% versus 5.22%). Out of 404, 53 (14%) students reported ever use of an e-cigarette during the past 30 days. E-cigarette use was significantly associated with nationality, gender, race, mother's and father's education. After controlling for the effects of confounders using binary logistic regression, e-cigarette users were more likely to be male, Malay, and being a child of less educated father. Moreover, SSB total score (aOR = 1.20, P < 0.001), conventional cigarette use (aOR = 7.79, P = 0.002), hookah use (aOR = 8.51, P < 0.001), and cigarette smoking for parents (aOR = 0.20, P = 0.026) were significantly contributing to the ever use of e-cigarette. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of e-cigarette use was moderately high among students enrolled in health science program compared to the general population in Malaysia. Hence, it would be of great importance for health sciences students to explore their inner position toward e-cigarette smoking. Whether they smoke because they ignore the risk or because they deny or even seek it or do they accept the risk but procrastinate the attempt to quit.