Electronic Vaping Product Use among Young Adults Who Receive Care at a Major Medical Institution

Abstract

Background: National estimates of electronic vaping product (EVP) use exist, but little is known about young adult EVP users who interact with the healthcare setting. Methods: Cross-sectional survey of 18–25 year olds receiving care in our ambulatory medical practice. Population differences were evaluated with the chi square test reporting unadjusted odds ratios (ORs). Results: Response rate was 16.6% (n = 1,017/6,119). The prevalence of ever EVP use was 46.0% of whom 13.9% used every day. Each additional day of alcohol use (past 30 days) was associated with increased odds of being an EVP user (OR = 1.06, 95% CI 1.02–1.09), and cannabis use (past 30 days) was associated with a higher odds of being an EVP user compared to non-cannabis users (OR = 40.0, 95% CI 17.4 − 111.8). Observing a biological parent (OR = 2.89, 95% CI 1.98–4.24), step parent (OR = 2.03, 95% CI 1.02–4.19) and full sibling (OR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.78–3.00) using inhaled substances (past 30 days) was associated with increased odds of being an ever EVP user. Ever EVP users had lower odds than never users to report that EVPs with nicotine are “a little” or “a lot” more harmful than smoking “regular” tobacco cigarettes (OR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.37 − 0.76). Conclusion: Our survey is limited by a low response rate but confirms observed associations between EVP use and substance use and social influences. Our data also suggest that professionals should regularly screen for EVP use among young people, especially those with exposure to family members who used inhaled substances.