E-cigarette use among young adults has skyrocketed over the past decade. There are concerns about the negative impacts of e-cigarettes being impacts on the development of the brain, exposure to toxicants, and the increased risk of other substance use. College is a time of behavioral experimentation for many individuals. E-cigarettes and substance use can be influenced through social network influence and misperceived and perceived norms of substance use among peers. The goal of this study is to describe the prevalence of use of both e-cigarettes and other substances and assess the relationship between mental health and e-cigarette and other substance use among college students.
Data was used from the US American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment, a national survey of college students in Fall 2018 and Spring 2019. This study only looked at undergraduate students between 18 and 24. There was a total of 55,654 student participants in this study. Substance use, mental health status, and student and college characteristics were all measured. Student and college characteristics measured include age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, self-related health, year in school, cumulative grade average, and international student status.
The results of this study found that psychological distress was not associated with e-cigarettes and other substance use. Still, psychological distress and past-year mental health diagnosis/treatment were positively associated with e-cigarette and other substance use when compared to no substance use. It was also found that almost all students who used e-cigarettes also reported the use of another substance—suggesting that intervention efforts for e-cigarette use should focus on other substances as well. This research also indicates that mental health is another factor to consider when developing intervention and prevention efforts. Future research should be done to clarify the relationship between mental health and e-cigarettes and other substance use.
Takeaway: Mental health and multiple substance use are factors to focus on when it comes to intervention efforts.