School of Media and Journalism, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carroll Hall, CB 3365, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Apr 23;15(4):830. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15040830.
The use of e-cigarettes and other vaping devices among adolescents is an urgent public health problem due to the concern about adolescent exposure to nicotine. This study examined: (1) adolescents’ knowledge and beliefs about e-cigarette risks; and (2) whether knowledge and risk beliefs were associated with e-cigarette use. = 69 adolescents completed a cross-sectional survey about e-cigarette knowledge, attitudes (i.e., risk beliefs), and behavior (KAB). Nearly half (47%) of the sample reported ever using e-cigarettes. The majority of adolescents knew about many of the risks of e-cigarettes, with no differences between never- and ever-users. However, risk beliefs, such as worrying about health risks of using e-cigarettes, varied across groups. Compared to never-users, e-cigarette ever-users were significantly less likely to worry about e-cigarette health risks, less likely to think that e-cigarettes would cause them negative health consequences, and less likely to believe that e-cigarette use would lead to addiction. In a multivariable logistic regression, prior combustible cigarette use, mother’s education, and addiction risk beliefs about e-cigarettes emerged as significant predictors of adolescents’ e-cigarette use. This study reveals that while knowledge is not associated with adolescent e-cigarette use, risk beliefs do predict use.
青少年使用电子烟和其他蒸气设备是一个紧迫的公共卫生问题，因为人们担心青少年会接触到尼古丁。本研究考察了：（1）青少年对电子烟风险的认识和信念；（2）知识和风险信念是否与电子烟使用有关。共有 69 名青少年完成了一项关于电子烟知识、态度（即风险信念）和行为（KAB）的横断面调查。样本中近一半（47%）的人报告曾使用过电子烟。大多数青少年了解电子烟的许多风险，从不吸烟者和曾吸烟者之间没有差异。然而，风险信念，如担心使用电子烟的健康风险，在不同群体之间存在差异。与从不吸烟者相比，电子烟曾使用者不太担心电子烟的健康风险，不太可能认为电子烟会对他们造成负面健康后果，也不太可能相信电子烟使用会导致成瘾。在多变量逻辑回归中，先前使用可燃香烟、母亲的教育程度以及对电子烟成瘾风险的信念，是青少年使用电子烟的重要预测因素。本研究表明，尽管知识与青少年使用电子烟无关，但风险信念确实可以预测使用情况。
