Abstract

E-cigarette ever-use and current-use among teenagers has been increasing worldwide, including in Ireland. Worldwide, boys are observed to have  higher prevalence compared with girls. We set out to identify trends in e-cigarette ever-use and current use in Ireland between 2015 and 2019, focusing on gender differences.

Data drawn from two Irish waves of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD) yielded a total valid sample of 3,421 16-year-olds from a stratified random sample of schools (n=50), comprising 1,472 students (born 1999) in 2015, and 1,949 students (born 2003) in 2019. Trends in e-cigarette use were examined using a multivariable logistic regression model with e-cigarette ever-use and current-use as dependent variables.

E-cigarette ever-use increased from 23% to 39% and current-use from 10% to 18%, (2015 vs 2019 respectively). The rate of increase was significantly greater for girls AOR 2.67 (CI:2.02, 3.54) vs 2.04 (CI:1.55, 2.68). Peer smoking was significantly associated with e-cigarette ever- and current-use, and the association was particularly strong for boys if “Most/All friends smoke” AOR 5.90 (CI:3.31, 10.52) vs 3.50 (CI:1.79, 6.84) for girls. Less parental monitoring was associated with greater e-cigarette use, more so for boys AOR 5.50 (CI:2.85, 10.61) vs 5.31 (CI:3.01, 9.37) for girls.

Boys are currently at greater risk of e-cigarette use but girls' risk is increasing at a faster rate. Peer influences and less parental monitoring are significant risk factors, operating differently for girls and boys, and providing potential mechanisms for interventions to prevent an increasing risk of nicotine addiction.