Individual, parent, and school factors associated with e-cigarette use among Asian adolescents

ABSTRACT

Objective

E-cigarette use has become the predominant method of nicotine consumption among U.S. youth, posing significant public health implications. The current study addresses the scarce research on e-cigarette use among Asian American adolescents, a demographic group that has remained comparatively understudied.

Methods

Leveraging data from the 2019–2020 Student Drug Use survey, the cross-sectional study investigates the interplay between e-cigarette use and psychosocial determinants among Asian American adolescents in the metropolitan area.

Results

Results indicate an 8.0% prevalence of e-cigarette use in the past year, with notable variations based on grade level and risk behaviors. Psychosocial factors such as low parental influence [OR = 1.88, 95% CI (1.35,2.61)], engagement in low prosocial activities [OR = 1.78, 95% CI (1.30, 2.44)], and high-risk behaviors [OR = 25.34, 95% CI (15.39,41.71)] correlate significantly with increased odds of e-cigarette use. Logistic regression analysis reinforces these associations, emphasizing the impact of risky behavior and ease of access on e-cigarette usage.

Conclusion

The study informs targeted interventions at various levels, including schools, policy, community engagement, and cultural competency training, to address the escalating prevalence of e-cigarette use among Asian American adolescents.

KEYWORDS:

• Asian
• adolescents
• e-cigarette use
• psychosocial factors

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/14659891.2024.2374790.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.