Prevalence and Mental Health Correlates of Electronic Cigarette Use Among Pediatric Primary Care Patients
Recommended Citation
Braciszewski JM, Elmali M, Llamocca EN, Vanderziel AM, Cameron-Carter H, and Loree AM. Prevalence and Mental Health Correlates of Electronic Cigarette Use Among Pediatric Primary Care Patients. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 2025.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-29-2025
Publication Title
Clinical pediatrics
Keywords
electronic cigarettes; mental health; primary care; substance use
Abstract
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are the most used tobacco product among US adolescents. Information about the prevalence of use in a pediatric primary care population has been limited. Youth aged 12 to 17 attending a well-child visit completed screening for past year e-cigarette, cigarette, cannabis, and alcohol use, as well as depression and anxiety symptoms. We examined e-cigarette-use prevalence, frequency, and relationship to demographics, mental health symptoms, and other substance use. Among 9740 patients, 8.2% reported past-year e-cigarette use. Males (7.2%) were less likely than females (9.2%) to use e-cigarettes, while more frequent use was associated with more frequent cannabis, alcohol, and cigarette use, as well as elevated depression and anxiety symptoms. Sex differences support a recent trend toward young females using e-cigarettes at higher rates than males. Polysubstance use was common, highlighting the importance of regular screening for all substances and feasible interventions for this setting.
PubMed ID
41461569
ePublication
ePub ahead of print
First Page
99228251399041
Last Page
99228251399041
