Factors Associated with Electronic Cigarette Smoking Behaviors of Adolescents in Uttaradit Province, Thailand

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore factors related with electronic cigarette smoking behaviors of adolescents at Uttaradit province. Simple random sampling technique was used with 385 vocational institution and university students. Data were collected by questionnaires, and were analyzed by using descriptive statistics; percentage, mean, standard deviation, and inferential statistics through binary logistic regression analysis. The research found that the adolescents who used electronic cigarette was 72.21%. The average age of their first time to used electronic cigarette was 18.28 years old. The factors influencing adolescents used electronic cigarette was statistically significant at 0.05 level were gender (ORAdt=2.21,95%CI:1.32-4.55), living arrangement (ORadj=2.46, 95%CI=1.22- 4.95), family member used electronic cigarette (ORadj=11.21, 95%CI=4.88-25.71), peer used electronic cigarette (ORadj=10.48, 95%CI=5.96-19.46),had seen electronic cigarette advertising and media exposure (ORadj=3.22, 95% CI=1.85-5.60), positive attitudes toward electronic cigarette (ORadj= 3.37, 95%CI=1.54-7.35). These six factors could explain the variation of electronic cigarette among adolescents at a percentage of 35.80 (pseudo R2 =0.358). The results of this research suggested that government agencies should development of measures or programs to enhance the knowledge; and implement activities to change adolescent attitudes towards electronic cigarette.