An International Systematic Review of Prevalence, Risk, and Protective Factors Associated with Young People’s E-Cigarette Use

Abstract

While the prevalence of young people’s conventional cigarette use has decreased in many countries, the use of e-cigarettes has risen. To effectively counteract the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among young people internationally, researchers should know the exact prevalence as well as the protective and risk factors associated with vaping. Based on five eligibility criteria, 53 articles were chosen and analyzed by general characteristics, prevalence, sample characteristics, gender difference, protective factors, and risk factors. In this study, the international pooled prevalence of young people’s lifetime e-cigarette use was 15.3%, the current use was 7.7%, and dual use was 4.0%. While the highest lifetime, current, and dual prevalence were found in Sweden, Canada, and the United Kingdom, respectively, the lowest prevalence was found in Germany, followed by South Korea and Sweden. Some protective and risk factors include perceived cost and danger of vaping, parental monitoring, internal developmental assets, cigarette use, family and peer smoking, exposure to online advertisements, and the presence of nearby retail stores. Based on this review, researchers and practitioners can develop different intervention programs and strategies for young smokers.

Exploring the prevalence, knowledge, attitudes and influencing factors of e-cigarette use among university students in Palestine: a cross-sectional study

“…While the prevalence of young people’s conventional cigarette use has decreased in many countries, e-cigarette use has risen. A recent international systematic review found that the global pooled prevalence of young people’s lifetime usage of e-cigarettes was 15.3%, the current use was 7.7% and the dual use was 4.0% 7. Many studies have shown that the prevalence of e-cigarette smoking among university students is high, reaching up to 40% 8 9…”

“…Tobacco smoking is particularly prevalent among young adults and university students in Palestine. Findings from the 2015 Youth Survey show that 23.5% of Palestinians aged 15–29 use cigarettes, with male respondents using tobacco at a higher rate (40.9%) than female respondents (5.4%) 7. Of university students, approximately 30% were identified as current tobacco users, 22.0%–25.0% as current waterpipe smokers and 18.0% as current cigarette smokers, with male students significantly more likely than female students to use cigarettes 10–12…”

Prevalence and Associated Factors of E-Cigarette Use among Adolescents in Southeast Asia: A Systematic Review

“…One recently published systematic review examined the international prevalence and associated factors of e-cigarette use among young people. However, the review is not extensive as it included mostly developed countries and only two included studies were conducted in Southeast Asia [23]. [13].…”

The Prospective Association Between the Use of E-Cigarettes and Other Psychoactive Substances in Young People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Results from a recent systematic review carried out by Kim, Lee, and Chun (2022) by pooling results from 53 studies conducted in Asian, South American, and European countries, in addition to the US, showed the overall prevalence of international lifetime e-cigarette use among young people to be 15.3%.…”