Vaping has been linked to a substantially increased risk of COVID-19 among teens and young adults, according to a new study led by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine.
The study, which was published online Aug. 11 in the Journal of Adolescent Health, is the first to investigate links between juvenile vaping and COVID-19 using U.S. population-based data collected during the pandemic.
Among young people who were tested for the virus that causes COVID-19, the study found that those who were armed were five to seven times more likely to be infected than those who did not use e-cigarettes.
“Teens and young adults should know that if you use e-cigarettes, you are likely to be at immediate risk of COVID-19 because you are damaging your lungs,” said the study’s senior author, Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, PhD , professor of pediatrics.
‘Not just a small increase in risk’
“Young people may believe that their age protects them against the onset of the virus or that they will not experience any symptoms of COVID-19, but the data show that this is not true among those who vape,” said the lead author. of the study, postdoctoral scientist Shivani Mathur Gaiha, PhD.
“This study tells us quite clearly that youth who use weapons or double use [e-cigarettes and cigarettes] are at increased risk, and it is not just a small increase in risk; it’s a big one, ”Gaiha said.
Data were collected through online surveys conducted in May. Surveys were completed by 4,351 participants ages 13 to 24 living in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and three U.S. territories. The researchers recruited a sample of participants that was evenly distributed between those who had used e-cigarettes and those who had never used nicotine products. The sample also included approximately equal numbers of people in different age groups (adolescents, young adults, and adults), races, and genders.
Participants answered questions about whether they had ever used vaping devices or flammable cigarettes, as well as whether they had guns or smoked in the past 30 days. They were asked if they experienced COVID-19 symptoms, received a test for COVID-19 or after receiving a positive diagnosis of COVID-19.
Results adjusted for confusing factors
The results were adjusted for confounding factors such as age, gender, LGBTQ status, race / ethnicity, mother-level education, body mass index, compliance with shelter orders, place of diagnosis of COVID-19 in the states where the participants lived , and state and regional trends in e-cigarette use.
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