E-cigarette exposure among high schools students in Taiwan

Objective: This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of e-cigarette experience among junior and senior high school students in Taiwan. Methods: Data from the General Tobacco Hazard Proficiency Test were analyzed for n = 7,599 respondents during 2017. The knowledge and determinants of e-cigarettes exposure experience were assessed. The chi square, ANOVA test, and logistic regression were performed for inferential statistical analysis. Results: A total of 30.5% of students had seen someone trying e-cigarettes; 70.6% of the students agree or strongly agree having clear knowledge about the shape and hazards of e-cigarettes. Among the students who had e-cigarettes exposure experience, adolescent boys were more likely than female students (aOR 1.315, 95% CI 1.186-1.457), vocational high school students have the highest rate (34.3%) of the schools (aOR 1.391, 95% CI 1.253-1.543), and students who had smoking family members were higher than those without smoking family members (aOR 2.220, 95% CI 1.978-2.491). Moreover, experiencing e-cigarettes was more likely among the students who had been exposed to second-hand smoke daily (aOR 2.188, 95% CI 1.864-2.568). Conclusions: These findings underscore the need to evaluate the potential risk of e-cigarette use in adolescents, and develop effective intervention programs for e-cigarette regulation.