Associations between tobacco and nicotine product use and depressive symptoms among college students in Texas

Abstract

Background There is a well-established link between cigarette smoking and depression; less is known about the potential association between alternative tobacco products, such as hookah, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and electronic cigarette (e-cigarette use) with depression. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now regulating tobacco products and is interested in tobacco product use among those with mental health problems and other special populations such as college students. Methods Cross-sectional statewide convenience sample study of 5438 college students in 24 colleges and universities in Texas. Past 30-day use of hookah, cigar, smokeless tobacco, cigarette, and e-cigarette use were measured by self-report. Depressive symptoms were measured by the 10-item short form of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies scale. Results Only e-cigarette use was positively associated with depressive symptoms, even after accounting for all other tobacco products and socio-demographics. There were no significant interactions between race/ethnicity or gender with each of the tobacco products on depressive symptoms. Conclusions E-cigarette use was positively associated with depressive symptoms among college students in Texas. Further research is needed to determine causality, which may inform FDA regulatory planning.

Electronic cigarettes use and perception amongst medical students: a cross sectional survey from Sindh, Pakistan

“…A survey of Tobacco use in adults in Montana found 11.2% ever use and 1.3% current use of e-cigarettes [ 13 ]; a recent survey from Egypt among the general population found more than half had knowledge about e-cigarette but none of them reported it use [ 14 ]. Our study found e-cigarette use was significantly higher among smokers and male gender as reported previously [ 6 , 12 ]. This is consistent with data on cigarette smoking in Pakistan, which is disproportionately higher in men.…”

“…Although it is perceived effective as a harm reduction tool [ 10 ], there is still insufficient evidence in support of e-cigarettes’ efficacy in smoking cessation [ 11 ]. Alternatively, use of e-cigarettes can also have negative health consequences; in a cross-sectional survey of students from 24 colleges and universities in Texas found e-cigarette use to be associated with depressive symptoms [ 12 ]. Until long term observational data of e-cigarette users is available, possibility of adverse health effects cannot be ruled out.…”

Depressive Symptoms Predict Current E-Cigarette Use Among College Students in Texas

“…association between e-cigarette use and elevated depressive symptoms. 1 Because the only two studies establishing an association between e-cigarette use and mental health problems are crosssectional 1,2 it is not possible to disentangle the direction of effects between e-cigarette use and depressive symptoms. Rather, longitudinal studies among general populations, such as college students, are needed to determine if depressive symptoms lead to the use of e-cigarettes and/or if e-cigarette use leads to elevated levels of depressive symptoms.…”

“…To date, only two studies have examined the association between e-cigarette use and depressive symptoms or poor mental health symptoms. 1,2 One national cross-sectional study by Cummins and colleagues 2 found that persons with poor mental health symptoms were more likely to use e-cigarettes than persons without poor mental health symptoms. In another population-based study of college students in Texas, Bandiera and colleagues found a positive…”

Subphenotyping depression using machine learning and electronic health records

“…32 An association between tobacco use and depression has also been shown by multiple previous studies [33][34][35] and cigarette use was positively associated with depressive symptoms among young people such as college students. 36 Phenotype_B (n = 4687; 52.65%)…”