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BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Substance Use Disorders and Behavioral Addictions
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1484252
This article is part of the Research Topic Global youth e-cigarette use: prevalence, risks, and regulatory policy impacts View all articles

Sociodemographic Characteristics and Vaping Motives as Potential Correlates of Early Vaping Initiation

Provisionally accepted
Aisha Al-Naimi Aisha Al-Naimi Fatma Al-Obaidli Fatma Al-Obaidli Reem Al-Rashdi Reem Al-Rashdi Fatima Al Zahraa Chokr Fatima Al Zahraa Chokr Mohammed Al-Hamdani Mohammed Al-Hamdani *
  • College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Vaping's popularity has particularly increased among young people, with its prevalence varying across different regions, including the Middle East. The health impacts of vaping, especially when initiated early, are a growing concern. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the correlates of early vaping initiation (EVI) and explored the sociodemographic characteristics and vaping motives influencing EVI among vapers from Arab countries. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey recruited 428 regular vapers, aged 18-60 who resided in Arab countries at the time of the study. Sociodemographic and vaping motives data were collected. Stepwise logistic regression was used to examine the factors associated with EVI. Results: The study findings revealed that older participants and expats have lower odds of EVI. Males and vapers from Qatar had around 4 to 5 times the odds of EVI as compared to females and those from Egypt, respectively. Conclusion: Targeted social marketing and education campaigns may benefit groups at risk of EVI, including residents of Qatar, males, and those who are strongly influenced by social media or who have friends or family members who vape. Reducing EVI is particularly important, as vaping often begins at an early age, and early intervention is vital to prevent early initiation and subsequent addiction.

    Keywords: vaping, sociodemographic variables, Early vaping initiation, Vaping motives, Middle East

    Received: 21 Aug 2024; Accepted: 05 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Al-Naimi, Al-Obaidli, Al-Rashdi, Chokr and Al-Hamdani. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Mohammed Al-Hamdani, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, 2713, Qatar

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.