Adolescent Dual Use Classification and Its Association With Nicotine Dependence and Quit Intentions

Introduction:
This article examines the association between adolescent dual use (cigarette and e-cigarette) frequency and nicotine dependence and quit intentions. The authors propose a new classification of dual use that takes into account the frequency of use of both products.

Key Points:

* The study used pooled data from the 2015-2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), a nationally representative survey of U.S. middle and high school students.
* The authors defined and classified dual use into four subgroups based on the frequency of cigarette and e-cigarette use.
* They found that high-frequency dual users had higher odds of nicotine dependence and lower intentions to quit compared to cigarette-only smokers and low-frequency dual users.
* High-frequency e-cigarette dual users had the lowest quit intentions within the next 30 days and 6 months.
* The study adjusted for potential confounders such as age, sex, race, age of first tobacco use, and survey year.
* The authors suggest that the proposed classification of dual use can be used to analyze and compare findings between studies.

Main Message:
The study highlights the importance of considering the frequency of use when classifying dual use and its association with nicotine dependence and quit intentions. The findings suggest that high-frequency dual users, particularly those who use e-cigarettes frequently, are more likely to be nicotine dependent and have lower intentions to quit. The proposed classification of dual use can be a useful tool for researchers and policymakers to understand and address the health consequences of dual use among adolescents.

Azagba, Sunday, Lingpeng Shan, and Keely Latham. “Adolescent Dual Use Classification and Its Association With Nicotine Dependence and Quit Intentions.” Journal of Adolescent Health 65, no. 2 (August 2019): 195–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.04.009.