Examining the Survey Setting Effect on Current E-Cigarette Use Estimates among High School Students in the 2021 National Youth Tobacco Survey

Abstract

The 2021 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) was completed by youth online during class time, either in school or at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the role of NYTS data in tobacco regulatory science, it is vital to understand the effect of survey settings (home, school) on tobacco-use estimates. We used a series of multivariable logistic regressions to examine whether survey settings (home vs. school) predicted current e-cigarette use among high school students, controlling for other known predictors of e-cigarette use as well as the pandemic learning model that was dominant in students’ counties (e.g., nearly all at-home, majority in school). We observed a significant survey setting effect. Those who completed the survey in school had higher odds of current e-cigarette use than those who completed the same survey at home (AOR = 1.74); this effect was attenuated when we controlled for the pandemic learning model (AOR = 1.38). Moreover, e-cigarette use was independently associated with students’ learning model; students whose schools were nearly entirely in-person had the highest odds of e-cigarette use compared to students whose learning model was nearly all at-home (AOR = 1.65). Survey setting is a methodological artifact in the 2021 NYTS. Perceived privacy and peer effects can potentially explain this artifact.

The role of synthetic coolants, WS-3 and WS-23, in modulating E-cigarette-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in lung epithelial cells

“…With the surge in e-cig use amongst youth in the United States in 2021 and the recent influx of "iced" e-cig flavors in US marketplaces, there is a greater need to fill the knowledge gap on the safety of inhaling synthetic-coolant additives [28] . Our study sought to determine whether adding a widely used synthetic coolants, WS-3 and WS-23, in e-liquids modifies the level of acellular ROS generated in e-cig aerosols and cellular ROS levels generated by the BEAS-2B airway epithelial cell lines.…”

Trends of Single, Dual, and Polytobacco Use Among School-Based Students in the United States: An Analysis of the National Youth Tobacco Survey

“…30 The COVID-19 pandemic also resulted in changes to the 2021 NYTS survey, which was redesigned to accommodate students learning in-person, virtually, or in a hybrid instructional format. 31,32 While it is possible to differentiate hybrid from school-based learners in the 2021 NYTS, with the former reporting significantly lower e-cigarette use prevalence, 33 the emergency COVID-19 sampling protocols means that the results from this wave should not be compared with previous waves. 31,32 Therefore, the continued monitoring and surveillance of e-cigarette prevalence and its co-use with other tobacco products is needed to understand whether the reductions observed in 2020 are sustained over time.…”

Synthetic Coolant WS-23 increases E-Cigarette Generated Aerosolized Acellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Levels

“…With the surge of e-cigarette use amongst youth in the US in 2021 and the recent influx of “cool/iced” e-cig flavors in US marketplaces, there is a greater need to fill the knowledge gap on the safety of inhaling synthetic-coolant additives (Chen-Sankey, Bover Manderski et al 2022). Our study sought to determine whether adding widely used synthetic coolants, WS-3 and WS-23, in e-liquids modifies the level of acellular ROS generated in e-cigarette aerosols.…”