Abstract P463: E-cigarette Use and Seeking Professional Help for Depression Among Young Adults: Evidence From the VapeScan Study

Abstract

Introduction: E-cigarettes (e-cigs) are the most commonly used tobacco product among youth. While cigarette use has been associated with a history of depression, research on the associations of e-cig use and depressive symptoms remains limited. While other studies have looked at the incidence of depression among e-cig users, the VapeScan study also factors in dual users who both smoke cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that e-cig use is associated with seeking professional help for depression among young adult participants in the VapeScan Study. Methods: Participants aged 18 to 50 years were recruited from the greater New York area to participate in the VapeScan Study from May 2021 to October 2022. Participants were classified as exclusive current e-cig users (e-cig users), current e-cig and former cigarette users, current e-cig and cigarette users (dual users), or non-users of both e-cigs and cigarettes (controls); former vapers and exclusive cigarette users were excluded from the study. Participants self-reported if they had ever “seen a doctor or other health professional for depression.” Rates of professional care for depression were compared by logistic regression test. Logistic regression was used to test the association between e-cig use status and seeking professional help for depression, adjusted for age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Results: Among 147 participants, mean (SD) age was 28 (8) years, 54.42% (80 of 147) of participants were assigned female at birth, 36.73% (54 of 147) were Non-Hispanic White (ETC). There were 29 e-cig users, 42 dual users, and 76 controls. Forty-one percent of e-cig users (12 of 29) had seen a health professional for depression versus 64% (27 of 42) of dual users and 29% (22 of 76) of controls (p-value=0.0014). After adjustment, compared to controls, e-cig users were 1.66 times more likely to have sought professional care for depression (95%CI: 0.59-4.71) and dual users were 7.90 times more likely (95%CI: 2.99-20.88). Conclusions: E-cig use, and particularly dual use of e-cigs and cigarettes, was associated with having sought professional help for depression among young adults. Persons presenting with depressive symptoms should be screened for tobacco product use, and vice versa, to ensure provision of evidence-based mental health and tobacco cessation programs.