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Youth

Adolescent E-Cigarette Use Linked to Household Tobacco Smoke Exposure

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Research published in the European Journal of Public Health finds a strong association between frequent exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke in the home and regular e-cigarette use among adolescents in England. The study analyzed data from over 12,000 adolescents aged 11-15, revealing that those exposed to secondhand smoke daily or most days had significantly higher odds of regular e-cigarette use.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study analyzed data from 12,297 adolescents aged 11-15 years who participated in the 2023 wave of the Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People in England (SDD) survey.
  • Regular e-cigarette use was reported by 5.8% (n = 716) of the sample, with 716 adolescents using e-cigarettes at least once a week.
  • The primary exposure was self-reported frequency of secondhand smoke exposure in the home or someone else's home, categorized into five levels.
  • The outcome was regular e-cigarette use, defined as vaping at least once per week, and logistic regression models estimated crude and adjusted associations.
  • The study found that frequent secondhand tobacco smoke exposure in the home was a strong and independent correlate of regular e-cigarette use among adolescents in England.
  • The study's authors, including Najim Z. Alshahrani and Yusuff Adebayo Adebisi, highlighted the importance of understanding the influence of household environmental factors on e-cigarette use among adolescents.

Statistics:

  • 5.8% of the sample reported regular e-cigarette use (n = 716).
  • The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for e-cigarette use among adolescents exposed to secondhand smoke daily or most days was 7.25 (95% confidence interval: 5.62-9.34).
  • The study included data from over 12,000 adolescents aged 11-15 years who participated in the 2023 wave of the SDD survey.

Sources:

  • Association between household secondhand tobacco smoke exposure and regular e-cigarette use among adolescents: evidence from a national school-based survey. European Journal of Public Health, 2025.
  • European Journal of Public Health can be contacted at: Oxford Univ Press, Great Clarendon St, Oxford OX2 6DP, England. (Oxford University Press - www.oup.com/; European Journal of Public Health - eurpub.oxfordjournals.org)

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