Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
Front Public Health. 2021 Aug 20;9:682355. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.682355. eCollection 2021.
Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is becoming more popular worldwide, especially among youth. Studies report that university students have inadequate knowledge as well as misconceptions about the health risks of e-cigarettes, which may lead to their use even in populations where smoking prevalence is relatively low. At this age, the influence of peers is also significant. Understanding attitudes of university students toward the use of e-cigarettes is important for effective tobacco prevention interventions. In this study, we assess the prevalence of e-cigarette use among students in Qatar's largest national university, as well as their knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of harm in relation to e-cigarettes. We conducted a cross-sectional study among Qatar University students using a self-administered online questionnaire. Descriptive univariate analyses were conducted as well as bivariate analyses to check the association of e-cigarette use with variables of interest. A binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess determinants of e-cigarette use among students. One hundred ninety-nine students completed the questionnaire. The prevalence of e-cigarette use among students was 14%, with no significant difference by gender (16.2% in males and 12.8% in females). In bivariate analyses, significantly fewer e-cigarette users believed that e-cigarettes cause disease compared to non-users. 67.9% of e-cigarette users compared to 37.6% of non-users believed that e-cigarettes were less harmful than traditional cigarettes, and 78.6% of users compared to 40.4% of non-users believed that their use could be helpful in preventing smoking traditional cigarettes. Bivariate associations between e-cigarette use and knowledge items were significant ( < 0.05) as well as having a smoker among siblings or friends. In the multivariate analysis, only having a friend who was a smoker remained significant after controlling for other variables (OR = 7.3, < 0.001). Our study found that university students have knowledge gaps and misconceptions with regard to the harms associated with e-cigarettes use, especially among users. A comprehensive smoking prevention policy, educational interventions, and quit support are needed to enhance awareness among university students about the health effects associated with e-cigarettes use. Such interventions should also take into account the influence of peers on smoking practices.
电子烟（e-cigarette）的使用在全球范围内越来越流行，尤其是在年轻人中。研究报告显示，大学生对电子烟的健康风险知之甚少，甚至存在误解，这可能导致他们即使在吸烟率相对较低的人群中也会使用电子烟。在这个年龄段，同伴的影响也很重要。了解大学生对电子烟使用的态度对于有效的烟草预防干预至关重要。在这项研究中，我们评估了卡塔尔最大的国立大学学生中电子烟的使用情况，以及他们对电子烟危害的认识、态度和看法。
我们在卡塔尔大学的学生中进行了一项横断面研究，使用自我管理的在线问卷。进行了描述性单变量分析以及双变量分析，以检查电子烟使用与感兴趣变量之间的关联。进行了二元逻辑回归分析，以评估学生中电子烟使用的决定因素。
有 199 名学生完成了问卷。学生中电子烟的使用比例为 14%，性别之间无显著差异（男性为 16.2%，女性为 12.8%）。在双变量分析中，电子烟使用者认为电子烟会导致疾病的比例明显低于非使用者。67.9%的电子烟使用者认为电子烟比传统香烟危害小，而 78.6%的使用者认为使用电子烟有助于预防吸传统香烟，而这两个比例均显著高于非使用者（分别为 37.6%和 40.4%）。电子烟使用与知识项目之间的双变量关联具有统计学意义（<0.05），而兄弟姐妹或朋友中有吸烟者也具有统计学意义。在多变量分析中，控制其他变量后，只有朋友吸烟仍然具有统计学意义（OR=7.3，<0.001）。
我们的研究发现，大学生对电子烟使用相关危害的认识存在差距和误解，尤其是在使用者中。需要制定全面的控烟政策、教育干预措施和戒烟支持，以提高大学生对电子烟使用相关健康影响的认识。此类干预措施还应考虑到同伴对吸烟行为的影响。
