Factors Associated with E-Cigarette Escalation among High School Students: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

Background: E-cigarette use has been identified as a behaviour of concern among adolescents, and ever and daily use among this population has increased recently. The purpose of this review was to summarize the relevant studies investigating the frequency and intensity of e-cigarette use in adolescents and the factors associated with these patterns of use. Methods: A scoping search of two databases was conducted to identify longitudinal studies examining escalating e-cigarette use among adolescents. Escalating e-cigarette use could refer to an increasing frequency or intensity of use over time. Articles were screened for relevance. Studies that met inclusion criteria were included for synthesis. Results: Five articles were included for synthesis. All five articles were longitudinal studies taking place in the United States between 2013 and 2017. Age, gender, cost of e-cigarettes, use of cigarettes, polysubstance use, and e-liquid nicotine concentration were associated with escalation of e-cigarette use. Conclusions: A paucity of information exists regarding the escalation of e-cigarette use among adolescents. Given the changing popularity of devices, additional updated evidence is needed to understand the factors associated with the escalation of e-cigarette use among adolescents, which can be used to inform local and national programs and policies.