Sociodemographic differences in reasons for ENDS use among US youth within Wave 2 of the PATH study

Adolescents use electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS, or e-cigarettes) more than other tobacco products. Among adults, some data indicate that motivations for use vary by sociodemographic group. This study sought to examine how adolescents' motivations for ENDS use vary by sociodemographic characteristics, including age, gender, race/ethnicity and household income.

The current study used data from Wave 2 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study. Youth who used ENDS in the past 30 days were asked to report their motivations for product use. Rates of reporting each reason for use were compared across sociodemographic groups.

Appealing flavors was the most commonly reported motivation for using ENDS, and was mentioned more often among females (89.23%) than males (74.00%). Females were also more likely than males to report using ENDS because the product feels like smoking cigarettes (AOR=1.761) and people who are important to the participant smoke them (AOR=1.895). Older teens were more likely to report using ENDS because the product does not smell bad (56.45%, 15-17 years old; 42.83%, 12-14 years old).

Motivations for ENDS use vary by sociodemographic group. Understanding the motivations for use among sociodemographic subgroups is an initial step towards informing the development of policies and interventions with equally distributed benefits.