Skip to main content

Young E-Cigarette Users Report Higher Levels of Chronic Stress

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Sept. 19, 2023 -- Young electronic cigarette users are more likely to report having chronic stress than nonusers, according to a study presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2023, held from Sept. 9 to 13 in Milan.

Teresa To, Ph.D., from The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and colleagues used data from participants (ages 15 to 30 years) in the Canadian Health Measures Survey to compare physical activity (daily steps), physiological measurements, self-perceived stress, mental health, and quality of life (QOL) between e-cigarette users (ever; 115 individuals) and nonusers (never; 790 individuals).

The researchers found that when adjusting for confounders, e-cigarette users had significantly higher odds of being physically active (odds ratio, 2.19; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.14 to 4.20) and having self-reported extreme chronic stress (odds ratio, 2.68; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.45 to 4.92) compared with nonusers. E-cigarette users also tended to have higher odds of poorer quality of life (odds ratio, 1.12; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.64 to 1.95) but lower odds of other health morbidities (high blood pressure or blood sugar; lower levels of high-density lipoprotein), although these findings were not statistically significant.

"At the time of the study, this group of young people had good physical health overall; however, we need to study the effects of e-cigarettes in the longer term to understand their impact on young people's health," To said in a statement. "We know that stress induces oxidative stress and inflammation in the body and these play an important role in the risk of developing chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease."

Press Release

More Information

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Parental E-Cigarette Use Linked to Increase in Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis

TUESDAY, May 28, 2024 -- Parental electronic cigarette use is associated with increased odds of pediatric atopic dermatitis (AD), according to a research letter published online...

E-Cigarette Use After Smoking May Up Risk for Lung Cancer

WEDNESDAY, May 22, 2024 -- Former cigarette smokers who use electronic cigarettes may have a higher risk for lung cancer than those who do not vape, according to a study presented...

Use of Electronic Cigarettes Tied to Earlier Age at Onset of Adult Asthma

FRIDAY, May 17, 2024 -- Past 30-day electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use among adults is associated with earlier ages of asthma onset, according to a study published...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.