E-Cigarette Use Among High School Students-a Cross-Sectional Study of Associated Risk Factors for the Use of Flavour-Only and Nicotine Vapes

The aim of this study is to examine e-cigarette use among high school students and the associated risk factors for the use of flavour-only or nicotine vapes. Grade 12 students (N = 855) of 2020 from nine Australian schools completed a cross-sectional self-report survey. Correlates examined included age, gender, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, parental and family characteristics, truancy, mental health (depression and anxiety), alcohol use and cigarette smoking. Overall, 74% reported that they had never used an e-cigarette or vaped, 12.5% had for flavour-only, and 13.5% had for nicotine vapes. Multinomial adjusted logistic regressions showed that males and teens reporting frequent alcohol or cigarette use had higher odds of vaping. In adolescents who had used an e-cigarette, half had used a nicotine vape. Those who engaged in risky drinking and smoked cigarettes were most likely to also use e-cigarettes, implying that this may be a high-risk group.