Are homeschooled adolescents less likely to use alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs?

Journal of Adolescent Health

West

Veliz

et al. 2017

136

Purpose There is a need to obtain greater clarity regarding adolescents’ e-cigarette use and their use with a wider range of risk behaviors. This study examines the associations among past-month e-cigarette use only, traditional cigarette smoking only, dual use (i.e., concurrent e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking), school-related (i.e., truancy and poor academic performance), and substance-related (i.e., alcohol use, binge drinking, marijuana use, illicit drug use, and nonmedical prescription drug use) risk behaviors. Methods Data were collected via self-administered questionnaires from a nationally representative sample of 8,696 high school seniors. Results An estimated 9.9% of U.S. high school seniors reported past-month e-cigarette use only, 6.0% reported past-month cigarette smoking only, and 7.3% reported past-month dual use. School-related and substance-related risk behaviors had strong associations with past-month e-cigarette use. Adolescents who only used e-cigarettes had significantly greater odds of all school-related and substance-related risk behaviors relative to non-users. Dual users had significantly greater odds of frequent/daily e-cigarette use as well as all school-related and substance-related risk behaviors relative to those who only used e-cigarettes. Finally, adolescents who engaged in frequent/daily e-cigarette use had significantly greater odds of binge drinking, marijuana use, other illicit drug use and nonmedical prescription drug use, relative to experimental e-cigarette users. Conclusion E-cigarette use is common among U.S. adolescents and there are robust associations between e-cigarette use and school-related and substance-related risk behaviors. There is evidence that e-cigarette use clusters with risk behaviors and appears to represent a problem behavior, especially dual use of e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

E-cigarette Use, Cigarette Smoking, Dual Use, and Problem Behaviors Among U.S. Adolescents: Results From a National Survey

Journal of Adolescent Health

West

Veliz

et al. 2017

136

“…For instance, there are some important subgroups of the U.S. youth population missing from the MTF data collected each year, such as students who were home-schooled, have dropped out of school, or were absent on the day of data collection and therefore did not participate in the study. High school students who drop out or who are often absent from school are more likely to engage in substance use and other problem behaviors (Miech et al, 2016; SAMHSA, 2014) while home-schooled youth were less likely to engage in substance use behaviors (Vaughn et al, 2015). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Smoking behaviors and intentions among current e-cigarette users, cigarette smokers, and dual users: A national survey of U.S. high school seniors

Veliz

et al. 2017

Preventive Medicine

E-cigarette use among adolescents has increased significantly in recent years, but it remains unclear whether cigarette smoking behaviors and intentions differ among current (i.e., 30-day) non-users, only e-cigarette users, only cigarette smokers, and dual users. A nationally representative sample of 4385 U.S. high school seniors (modal age 18 years) were surveyed during the spring of their senior year via self-administered questionnaires in 2014. An estimated 9.6% of U.S. high school seniors reported current (30-day) e-cigarette use only, 6.3% reported current cigarette smoking only, and 7.2% reported current dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarette smoking. There were no significant differences between current only cigarette smokers and dual users in the odds of early onset of cigarette smoking, daily cigarette smoking, future cigarette smoking intentions, friends’ cigarette smoking behaviors, attempts to quit cigarette smoking, or the inability to quit cigarette smoking. Adolescents who only used e-cigarettes had higher odds of cigarette smoking behaviors and intentions than current non-users, including intentions for future cigarette smoking in the next 5 years (AOR = 2.57, 95% CI: 1.21—5.24). Dual users and only cigarette smokers had higher odds of cigarette smoking behaviors and intentions than non-users or only e-cigarette users. Adolescents who engage in current dual use appear to have cigarette smoking behaviors and intentions that more closely resemble cigarette smokers than e-cigarette users. Adolescents who only use e-cigarettes have higher intentions to engage in cigarette smoking in the future relative to their peers who do not engage in e-cigarette use or cigarette smoking.

“…First, some important subgroups do not participate in the MTF study including adolescents who are home-schooled, dropped out of school, and are absent on the day of data collection. 2,30 Secondary school students who are home-schooled are less likely to engage in substance use behaviors while those who drop out or who are often absent from school are more likely to engage in substance use and other problem behaviors. 2,30 Second, the MTF study did not assess some variables that have been shown to be associated with early onset of substance use behaviors (eg, family psychiatric history).…”

Section: Strengths and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Initiation Sequence of E‐Cigarette and Cigarette Smoking Among US Adolescents: A National Study

et al. 2019

Background and Objectives: The primary objectives were to: (1) examine the initiation sequence of e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking; (2) assess other substance use as a function of the initiation sequence of e-cigarettes and cigarettes; and (3) investigate the role of early e-cigarette initiation among US secondary school students. Methods: Data were collected via self-administered questionnaires from independent 2015 and 2016 nationally representative cross-sectional samples of 8th grade, 10th grade, and 12th grade students (N = 36 410). Results: The lifetime initiation sequence included: (1) e-cigarette use before cigarette smoking (1.7%); (2) e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking in same grade (4.2%); (3) cigarette smoking before e-cigarette use (6.1%); (4) e-cigarette use only (12.6%); (5) cigarette smoking only (3.6%); and (6) no e-cigarette use or cigarette smoking (71.8%). The risk of substance use was highest among dual users (regardless of initiation sequence), followed by cigarette smokers, e-cigarette users, and no e-cigarette use or cigarette smoking. The most prevalent initiation sequence of e-cigarette use involved initiating other substances before e-cigarettes, especially among older adolescents. Early initiation of e-cigarette use was associated with increased odds of substance use behaviors for all three age groups. Discussion and Conclusions: Adolescents who report a history of both e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking should be considered at high risk for substance-related problems. Early initiation of e-cigarette use is a signal for other substance use. Scientific Significance: Youth substance use prevention programs and prospective studies must take into account polysubstance use when addressing the relationships between e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking.