Relationships Between Depressive Symptoms, anxiety, Impulsivity and Cigarette and E-cigarette Use among Young adults.

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a research study examining the relationships between depressive symptoms, anxiety, impulsivity, and cigarette and e-cigarette use among young adults. The study also explores how impulsivity influences these relationships. The study surveyed a sample of 2,622 young adults in hawaii, aged 18-25, enrolled in 4-year and 2-year colleges.

Key Points:

* The study found that higher depressive and anxiety symptoms and higher impulsivity were significantly associated with current cigarette and e-cigarette use.
* One unit increases in depression, anxiety, and impulsivity were associated with 34%, 17%, and 38% increased odds of e-cigarette use versus non-use, respectively.
* Impulsivity was found to significantly moderate the association between higher anxiety and higher cigarette smoking, such that the association was stronger among those with higher impulsivity.
* approximately 68% of the sample reported no use of either e-cigarettes or cigarettes, 13% reported only e-cigarette use, 9% reported only cigarette smoking, and 11% reported use of both.
* The study used validated scales to measure depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and impulsivity.
* The study did not have access to longitudinal data about the negative effects on health of e-cigarette use or cigarette smoking.
* Data were self-reported and were not verified against objective measures.

Main Message:
The study suggests that tobacco product use prevention education should target children and young adults with higher internalizing symptoms, with particular attention to those who show higher impulsivity. The findings highlight the need for e-cigarette use prevention programs to address poor mental health symptoms, as school-based smoking prevention programs have been successful in reducing cigarette smoking prevalence among young people in the US.

Masaki K, Taketa RM, Nakama MK, Kawamoto CT, Pokhrel P. Relationships Between Depressive Symptoms, anxiety, Impulsivity and Cigarette and E-cigarette Use among Young adults. hawai’i journal of health & social welfare. 2022;81(3):51-57.