Measuring e-cigarette addiction among adolescents.

Introduction:
This text is a research paper published in Tobacco Control that examines the correlation between multiple measures of adolescent e-cigarette use and nicotine exposure quantified with salivary cotinine levels. The study aims to identify valid measures of adolescent e-cigarette use frequency and addiction.

Key Points:

* The study recruited adolescents who reported past-month e-cigarette use and measured their self-reported e-cigarette use frequency and addiction using several measures.
* The measures of e-cigarette use frequency included days of e-cigarette use in a typical month, number of e-cigarette sessions in a typical day (Sessions per Day, SPM), and the E-Cigarette addiction Severity Index (EaSI).
* The study also examined the Penn State Electronic Cigarette Dependence Index (ECDI) and the heaviness of Vaping Index (hVI).
* The results showed that SPM correlated most strongly with cotinine (r=0.59), followed closely by days per month (r=0.58) and SPD (r=0.57).
* among dependence measures, the EaSI correlated most strongly with cotinine (r=0.51), closely followed by the ECDI and hVI (r’s=0.50).
* The study recommends the EaSI and days per month as brief general measures of adolescent e-cigarette use frequency and addiction.
* SPM and the ECDI are more extensive measures that may yield a more nuanced understanding of use.

Main Message:
The study highlights the importance of valid measures of adolescent e-cigarette use frequency and addiction. The results suggest that the EaSI and days per month are reliable and valid measures of adolescent e-cigarette use frequency and addiction. The study also emphasizes the need for further research to compare results across studies and to develop consensus in measurement. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the measurement of adolescent e-cigarette use and addiction, which can inform regulatory measures and public health policies.

Vogel Ea, Prochaska JJ, Rubinstein ML. Measuring e-cigarette addiction among adolescents. Tobacco control. 2020;29(3):258-262. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2018-054900