Exposure to E-Cigarette Advertising and Its Association With E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Adolescents in Two Largest Cities in Vietnam 2020

Abstract

BACKGROUND E-cigarette products have become more popular due to the marketing campaigns on various sources but caused adverse health impacts to users, especially adolescents and youths. This paper aims to describe the situation of exposure to e-cigarette advertisements of youth and adolescents living in two cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh in 2020 and identify the associated factors of e-cigarette marketing with e-cigarettes use in these groups. METHODOLOGY This was a cross-sectional study. The study participants were 1211 youth and adolescents aged 15-24 living in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City during the time of data collection (from January 2020 to September 2020). Two primary outcome variables included the ever e-cigarettes use and the intention to use e-cigarettes. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the association between the outcome variables and e-cigarette marketing exposure. RESULTS The proportion of participants who ever use e-cigarettes was 7.4% and a proportion of 4.8% have intention to use e-cigarettes. The most popular source of exposure to e-cigarettes advertisements was social network (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, etc.) and this source had positive association with the odds of e-cigarette smoking among youth and adolescents (OR = 3.38, 95% CI: 1.59-7.14). In addition, referral marketers also contributed to making the participants more likely to smoke e-cigarettes (OR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.03-6.95). Attractive color and free sample of e-cigarettes were also found to be the motivated factors associated with smoking behaviour among youth and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS New policies should be considered to oppose the impact of youth-oriented e-cigarette advertisements which include regulating and restricting e-cigarette advertisements on social media, as well as through referral marketers.

Implications of nicotine vaping products for tobacco control in ASEAN low-income and middle-income countries: in-depth interviews with experts from the region

“…49 Websites and social media have been used to promote and directly sell NVPs and nicotine e-liquids to young people in ASEAN LMICs, particularly in Indonesia, 50 51 where these online platforms advertise vape stores where youth can try and buy these products. 43 Evidence has also demonstrated that exposure to these marketing tactics influences young people's knowledge of NVPs in Indonesia, 48 Thailand 52 and Cambodia 53 and has been associated with NVP use among young people in Indonesia 54 and Vietnam, 55 but not among Thai university students. 56 Similar to other jurisdictions, 57 ASEAN countries have adopted various regulatory stances in response to the rise of NVPs, with policies ranging from prohibitionist to partial restrictions.…”