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Article
Sociodemographic Patterns of Exclusive and Dual Use of ENDS and Menthol/Non-Menthol Cigarettes among US Youth (Ages 15-17) Using Two Nationally Representative Surveys (2013-2017)
Int J Environ Res Public Health (2021)
  • Akash Patel
  • Jana Hirschtick, Advocate Aurora Health
  • Steven Cook
  • Bukola Usidame
  • Ritesh Mistry
  • David Levy
  • Rafael Meza
  • Nancy L. Fleischer
Abstract
The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) among youth in the United States has increased rapidly in the past decade. Simultaneously, while youth cigarette smoking has declined considerably, youth are still more likely to use menthol cigarettes than any other age group. We used nationally representative data on 15-17-year-olds from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study and the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) (2013-2017) to better understand current cigarette (by menthol flavoring) and ENDS use in the US. We calculated weighted population prevalence estimates across years for multiple patterns of current cigarette and ENDS use (i.e., exclusive menthol cigarette, exclusive non-menthol cigarette, exclusive ENDS, dual ENDS and menthol cigarette, and dual ENDS and non-menthol cigarette) by sex, race/ethnicity, parental education level, household income, and homeownership. Overall, both exclusive menthol and non-menthol cigarette use declined from 2013-2017. Exclusive ENDS use increased, particularly among youth who were non-Hispanic White or had a higher socioeconomic status (measured by parental education, household income, and homeownership). Dual use of ENDS with either menthol or non-menthol cigarettes did not change significantly. Monitoring changes in these sociodemographic patterns will help inform future youth tobacco prevention strategies.
Keywords
  • adolescents,
  • cigarettes,
  • electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS),
  • epidemiology,
  • population,
  • tobacco,
  • youth
Publication Date
July 22, 2021
DOI
10.3390/ijerph18157781
Citation Information
Patel A, Hirschtick JL, Cook S, et al. Sociodemographic Patterns of Exclusive and Dual Use of ENDS and Menthol/Non-Menthol Cigarettes among US Youth (Ages 15-17) Using Two Nationally Representative Surveys (2013-2017). Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(15):7781. Published 2021 Jul 22. doi:10.3390/ijerph18157781