Risk Factors and Medical Symptoms associated With Electronic Vapor Product Use among adolescents and Young adults.

Introduction:
This text discusses a study on the relationship between electronic vapor product (EVP) use and various symptoms, risk factors, and beliefs in adolescents and young adults. The study aims to add to the growing body of knowledge regarding the symptoms experienced by EVP users, particularly in the adolescent population.

Key Points:

* The study used a prospective, observational, self-administered cross-sectional design with a convenience sample of patients aged 12 to 23 years at Penn State hershey Medical Center.
* The questionnaire covered demographic information, EVP use, self-esteem, risk-taking behaviors, substance use, perceived beliefs about EVPs, and medical symptoms.
* Of the 494 completed questionnaires, 20.4% of respondents were frequent EVP users (at least once a month) and 79.6% were experimenters/nonusers (never or one-time users).
* Frequent EVP users were more likely to be older, have asthma, aDD/hyperactivity, anxiety, or depression, and less likely to live in a two-parent household or participate in organized sports, music/dance/art, or academic activities.
* JUUL was the most commonly reported product used among frequent EVP users, followed by vape pen and e-cigarette.
* Frequent EVP users generally reported lower self-esteem scores, were more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors, and were more likely to use cigarettes, cigars, marijuana, and chewing tobacco.
* Both users and nonusers generally believed that EVPs contain nicotine, but frequent users were more likely to believe that EVPs are less addictive than cigarettes, safer than cigarettes, can help someone quit smoking, and have other positive attributes.
* Frequent EVP users were more likely to report headache, nausea, cough, sleep disturbances, dehydration, weakness, racing heart, chest pain, and tremors/shakiness in the past 6 months.

Main Message:
The study provides evidence to support efforts to decrease EVP use through screening, education, and preventative strategies. The findings highlight the importance of screening for substance use, risk-taking behaviors, and adverse childhood experiences to identify potentially high-risk populations for educational intervention. Understanding medical symptoms in EVP users can help providers recognize this association in the clinical setting. Future research should follow EVP users longitudinally to better elucidate chronic adverse effects and optimize screening strategies and targeted interventions.

Benyo SE, Bruinsma TJ, Drda E, et al. Risk Factors and Medical Symptoms associated With Electronic Vapor Product Use among adolescents and Young adults. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2021;60:279-289. doi:10.1177/00099228211009681