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. 2021 Feb;112(1):60-69.
doi: 10.17269/s41997-020-00389-0. Epub 2020 Aug 17.

Trends in youth e-cigarette and cigarette use between 2013 and 2019: insights from repeat cross-sectional data from the COMPASS study

Adam G Cole  1   2 , Sarah Aleyan  3   4 , Kate Battista  3 , Scott T Leatherdale  3
Affiliations

Trends in youth e-cigarette and cigarette use between 2013 and 2019: insights from repeat cross-sectional data from the COMPASS study

Adam G Cole et al. Can J Public Health. 2021 Feb.

Erratum in

Abstract
in English, French

Objectives: E-cigarettes are an increasingly popular product among youth in Canada. However, there is a lack of long-term data presenting trends in use. As such, the objective of this study was to examine trends in e-cigarette and cigarette use across various demographic characteristics between 2013 and 2019 among a large sample of secondary school youth in Canada.

Methods: Using repeat cross-sectional data from a non-probability sample of students in grades 9 to 12, this study explored trends in the prevalence of ever and current e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking between 2013-2014 and 2018-2019 in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. Trends in ever and current e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking were studied across demographic variables among students in Ontario.

Results: The prevalence of e-cigarette ever and current use was variable across province and increased over time, particularly between 2016-2017 and 2018-2019. In contrast, the prevalence of current cigarette smoking was relatively stable over the study period, decreasing significantly in Alberta and Ontario between 2017-2018 and 2018-2019. In Ontario, the prevalence of ever and current e-cigarette use increased among all grades, both genders, and all ethnicities.

Conclusion: Consistent with data from the United States, the prevalence of e-cigarette use among our large sample of Canadian youth has increased substantially in a short period of time. Surveillance systems should continue to monitor the prevalence of tobacco use among youth. Additional interventions may be necessary to curb e-cigarette use among Canadian youth.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Les cigarettes électroniques sont de plus en plus populaires auprès des jeunes au Canada. Il manque cependant de données à long terme sur les tendances de leur usage. C’est pourquoi nous avons cherché à examiner les tendances de l’usage des cigarettes électroniques et des cigarettes selon diverses caractéristiques démographiques entre 2013 et 2019 dans un vaste échantillon de jeunes fréquentant l’école secondaire au Canada. MéTHODE: À l’aide de données transversales répétées d’un échantillon non probabiliste d’élèves de la 9e à la 12e année, l’étude a exploré les tendances de la prévalence de l’usage antérieur et actuel des cigarettes électroniques et des cigarettes entre 2013-2014 et 2018-2019 en Colombie-Britannique, en Alberta, en Ontario et au Québec. Les tendances de l’usage antérieur et actuel des cigarettes électroniques et des cigarettes ont été étudiées pour diverses variables démographiques chez les élèves de l’Ontario. RéSULTATS: La prévalence de l’usage antérieur et actuel des cigarettes électroniques varie selon la province et a augmenté avec le temps, particulièrement entre 2016-2017 et 2018-2019. Par contre, la prévalence de l’usage actuel des cigarettes a été relativement stable sur la période de l’étude et a sensiblement diminué en Alberta et en Ontario entre 2017-2018 et 2018-2019. En Ontario, la prévalence de l’usage antérieur et actuel des cigarettes électroniques a augmenté chez les élèves de toutes les années, des deux sexes et de toutes les origines ethniques. CONCLUSION: Comme pour les données des États-Unis, la prévalence de l’usage des cigarettes électroniques dans notre vaste échantillon de jeunes Canadiens a considérablement augmenté sur une courte période. Les systèmes de surveillance devraient continuer à surveiller la prévalence du tabagisme chez les jeunes. Des interventions supplémentaires pourraient être nécessaires pour freiner l’usage des cigarettes électroniques chez les jeunes Canadiens.

Keywords: Adolescent; Cigarette; E-cigarette; Smoking; Trends; Youth.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Prevalence of e-cigarette (a) ever use and (b) current use, by province and year, 2013–2019 COMPASS study
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Prevalence of (a) ever cigarette smoking and (b) current cigarette smoking, by province and year, 2013–2019 COMPASS study
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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