A NEW study has identified childhood traumatic experiences (CTEs) as a significant risk factor for adolescent vaping in Australia.
Conducted through the Health4Life study, which involved 2,234 adolescents with an average age of 12.7 years, researchers found that exposure to CTEs by age 12 was linked to a higher likelihood of both current and lifetime vaping.
The study used mixed-effects logistic regression analyses to assess data from baseline and a follow-up at age 15 years.
Results indicated that adolescents exposed to CTEs had a 1.64 times higher likelihood of using vapes, and a 1.63 times higher likelihood of being regular vapers.
Additionally, those with CTEs were 1.44 times more likely to intend to vape in the future.
These findings, which align with international research on substance use risk factors, underscored the need for targeted interventions for adolescents affected by CTEs.
Researchers suggest early, specialised vaping prevention measures could be critical for this vulnerable group.
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