E-Cigarette Dependence in Youth.

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a research study on the convergent validity of e-cigarette dependence measures for use in youth populations. The study aims to validate various e-cigarette dependence measures, such as the Penn State Electronic Cigarette Dependence Index (PS-ECDI) and the E-Cigarette Dependence Scale (EDS), and compare them to self-perceived vaping dependence and time to first vape after waking in a cohort of Canadian youth aged 16-24.

Key Points:

* The study included 1205 Canadian youth who reported vaping at least monthly.
* The PS-ECDI and EDS showed good internal consistency and convergent validity against each other and against time to first vape upon waking.
* all measures exhibited concurrent validity against vaping frequency and nicotine concentration.
* The PS-ECDI was inferior to the EDS, self-perceived measure, and time from waking when predicting daily vaping frequency, but along with the self-perceived measure, was superior to the EDS and time from waking when predicting monthly vaping.
* The self-perceived measure of dependence was found to be equal to time from waking in predicting daily vaping, but superior in predicting monthly vaping, suggesting that it is the superior choice for predicting overall vaping frequency.
* The study also found that age and sex were significant predictors of vaping behaviors, with younger males more likely to use higher concentrations of nicotine.
* Limitations of the study include the online, convenience-sampled nature and recall bias for certain data points, such as nicotine concentration last used among nicotine e-cigarette users.

Main Message:
The study validates the use of various e-cigarette dependence measures, such as the PS-ECDI and EDS, in youth populations and compares them to self-perceived vaping dependence and time to first vape after waking. The results suggest that the self-perceived measure of dependence is the superior choice for predicting overall vaping frequency. The study also highlights the importance of considering age and sex as significant predictors of vaping behaviors in youth. Overall, this study provides valuable information for researchers and policymakers looking to understand and regulate e-cigarette use in youth populations.

Pienkowski M, Chaiton M, Dubray J, Schwartz R. E-Cigarette Dependence in Youth. Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. 2022;24(7):1089-1094. doi:10.1093/ntr/ntab268