An Australian study shows that to avoid its use it is necessary to take care of the mental health of young people
An Australian study finds that adolescents with severe depressive symptoms are more than twice as likely to try e-cigarettes than those who do not report these symptoms.
The data also indicate higher overall e-cigarette use among young people with mental health problems, including severe depressive symptoms, moderate to high stress, and poor well-being.
The findings show the critical need for effective mental health support and prevention. to vape during adolescence – when mental disorders begin to emerge.
Study with 5,000 students
Researchers surveyed more than 5,000 Year 7 and Year 8 students from 40 schools in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia in 2023, creating one of the largest datasets on teen vaping in the country.
Of the 5,157 students who participated in the study, 8.3% reported having previously used e-cigarettes.
E-cigarette use was also found to be 74 percent higher among students reporting moderate stress and 64 percent higher among those reporting high levels of stress.
Additionally, use was 105% higher for students who reported low well-being compared to those with high well-being. Anxiety symptoms were not associated with e-cigarette use.
Preventing the use of electronic cigarettes
The data was extracted from a survey conducted within the OurFutures Vape Testthe first and currently only clinical trial of an e-cigarette prevention program in schools in Australia. The aim is to test whether it is possible to prevent vaping among young people.
“It was important to address this issue as we are seeing both an increase in smoking and mental illness among young people,” says Dr Lauren Gardner of the University of Sydney’s Matilda Centre, who co-leads the project. OurFutures Vape Test.
“Further research is needed to understand the complex relationship between mental health and to vape; however, these findings highlight the urgent need for evidence-based prevention and early intervention approaches to support young people’s health and well-being in both the short and long term.”
The results, published in Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatryare consistent with research in other age groups and countries, including the United States, that has linked e-cigarette use among adolescents to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Use has increased among young people
The Matilda Centre previously found that the average age a teenager starts using e-cigarettes is 14. Another survey (independent from the University of Sydney) found that vaping rates among 12-15 year olds increased from 10% to 24% between 2017 and 2023.
According to the researchers, it is possible that this relationship between vaping and depressive symptoms could be explained by shared social, environmental, and genetic risk factors, or could indicate possible self-medication behaviors. In the short term, nicotine can reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.
Although it is not known for certain whether mental health influences e-cigarette use or vice versa, the authors believe that addressing young people’s mental health is essential to preventing initiation to vaping.
Source: Terra
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