Associations of Involuntary Smoking with Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Suicidal Behaviors in Early Adulthood.

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have demonstrated that involuntary smoking (e.g., secondhand smoke [SHS] and thirdhand smoke [THS]) is not only associated with an increased risk of several physical health problems, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, but also impacts mental health, including depression and anxiety. However, the relationships between SHS and THS exposure and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), suicidal ideation (SI), and suicide attempts (SAs) remain unclear.

METHODS

Participants were recruited at a Chinese vocational college via voluntary online surveys conducted on campus. Self-reported SHS exposure was determined by the frequency of contact with smokers or detecting tobacco odors in living environments, while THS was assessed through regular contact with smoker-contaminated surfaces (e.g., clothing, furniture, textiles). Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the associations of SHS and THS exposure with the prevalence of NSSI, SI, and SAs in never-smoking participants.

RESULTS

The study included 5716 participants (mean age = 19.3 years; females, 85.4%). The prevalence of SHS and THS exposure was 87.6% and 77.4%, with 8.8% reporting ≥15 min of SHS exposure on at least one day per week. After controlling for potential covariates, exposure to SHS (≥15 min on at least one day per week) was significantly associated with the odds of SAs (OR [95%CI] = 1.85 [1.17-2.91]). Additionally, daily THS exposure was significantly associated with increased past-year NSSI prevalence (2.35 [1.29-4.28]) compared to those without THS exposure, with similar associations observed for SI (2.11 [1.28-3.48]) and SAs (2.40 [1.23-4.69]).

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure to SHS and THS was significantly associated with increased likelihood of NSSI, SI, and SAs among young adults at a Chinese vocational college. Further studies are needed to validate these associations across more diverse populations.