Vaping health perceptions and never vaping among Australian adolescents: a strength-based analysis of cross-sectional...

Curbing adolescent vaping is a public health priority and little evidence exists examining protective factors. Using a strength-based approach, this study explored the relationship between adolescent vaping health perceptions and vaping use.

Cross-sectional data from 9000 Australian adolescents aged 14-17 years recruited via multiple online panels as part of the Generation Vape Study were used. Logistic regression compared never vs ever vaping, and inversed multinomial logistic regression compared never vaping to four lifetime vaping categories (ranging from use on a few to >100 occasions) for eight health perceptions.

Overall, 66% (5948/9000) of participants reported never vaping. Within all vaping categories, most agreed that vapes are unsafe, can harm the lungs and brain and can cause addiction, and disagreed that nicotine is harmless. Compared with those who disagreed/strongly disagreed, the odds of never vs ever vaping were greater among those who agreed/strongly agreed that vapes are unsafe to use (adjusted OR=2.67; 95% CI 2.17 to 3.27), can harm the developing brain (2.61; 2.05 to 3.33), can damage the lungs (1.61; 1.23 to 2.10), can cause addiction (2.32; 1.79 to 3.00) and that they are unsafe to use around others (2.94; 2.48 to 3.49). Compared with those who agreed/strongly agreed that nicotine is harmless, there were greater odds of never use (vs ever use) among those who disagreed/strongly disagreed (1.75; 1.44 to 2.11). The protective relationship remained across different lifetime vaping categories. Neither agreeing nor disagreeing was not generally a factor protective against vaping.

Perceptions of vape harms appear protective against experimental and regular vaping. Young people vape despite the majority of users being aware of harms, suggesting knowledge alone is an unlikely driver of behaviour. Comprehensive control efforts that embrace a suite of actions including education, policy, enforcement and monitoring activities are needed to best protect adolescent health.