a prospective longitudinal relation between elevated use of electronic devices and use of electronic nicotine delivery systems

Introduction:
This text discusses a study examining the prospective longitudinal relation between elevated use of electronic devices (EUED) and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use initiation in a nationally representative sample of U.S. youth. The study aimed to investigate whether EUED at baseline predicted ENDS use at follow-up waves, while controlling for exposure to ENDS advertisements and other well-established covariates of ENDS use.

Key Points:

* The study used data from the Population assessment of Tobacco and health (PaTh) Study, a nationally representative longitudinal cohort study.
* EUED was measured using two questions about time spent watching TV and visiting social networking service (SNS) accounts.
* ENDS use initiation was defined as self-reported ever use of an electronic nicotine product in the past 12 months.
* The study controlled for sociodemographic characteristics, mental health problems, and substance use experience.
* among youth who were nicotine naïve at baseline, those with EUED were more likely to initiate ENDS use in later years than those without EUED.
* The frequency of visiting SNS account was significantly associated with ENDS use initiation in a graded manner.
* Daily and weekly SNS users were more likely to initiate ENDS use than non-users of SNS.
* EUED was not associated with uptake of cigarette smoking.

Main Message:
The study provides important insights into the relationship between EUED and ENDS use initiation in U.S. youth. The results suggest that EUED predicts ENDS use initiation, and this association holds regardless of exposure to ENDS advertisements and other well-established predictors of ENDS use. The findings highlight the need to consider EUED as a potential risk factor for ENDS use initiation and suggest that regulation and prevention efforts should address the intersection of EUED and ENDS use.

Lee, Shieun, Dae-hee han, angela Chow, and Dong-Chul Seo. “a Prospective Longitudinal Relation between Elevated Use of Electronic Devices and Use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems.” addictive Behaviors 98 (November 2019): 106063. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.106063.