Adolescent Risk and Protective Factors for the Use of Electronic Cigarettes

The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) by adolescents is a serious public health concern. The major aim of the current study is to conduct a comprehensive examination of adolescent e-cigarette use in relation to risk and protective factors for a school-based sample. The present study is based on a secondary data analysis of the 2017 Prevention Needs Assessment (PNA) Survey that is administered every 2 years in the state of Utah to a large sample of students (n = 54,853) in Grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 from more than 400 schools. The PNA Survey measures substance use, mental health symptoms, and antisocial behavior as well as their associated risk and protective factors. Almost 9% of adolescents in this study reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. Adolescents who reported infrequent (1–5 days) and frequent (6+ days) use of e-cigarettes also indicated lower levels of protection (e.g., perceived harm) and higher levels of risk (e.g., favorable attitudes) compared with students who did not report using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. The frequency of adolescent e-cigarette use can distinguish between risk and protective factors. Findings suggest that the risk and protective factors relevant for adolescent alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco use extend to the use of the e-cigarettes. Certain risk factors (e.g., favorable attitudes toward substance use) and protective factors (e.g., perceived risk for use of e-cigarettes) hold promise for preventive interventions in addressing this public health concern.