| Summary: | Introduction
While electronic cigarette (EC) use is rapidly increasing among
asthmatic adolescents, little is known about the links between EC use and
depression or suicidality. We assessed associated factors for depression and
suicidality in asthmatic adolescents with experience of EC use.
Methods
We analyzed the data from the 11th to 13th Korea Youth Risk
Behavior Web-based Surveys, which were completed from 2015 to 2017.
Data were obtained from a stratified, multistage, clustered sample. Students
supplied ‘yes or no’ answers to questions about previous asthma diagnosis
by a doctor. Associated factors for depression and suicidality were evaluated
by logistic regression models after controlling for potential confounding
factors. We targeted 203336 adolescents, and 195847 completed the survey.
Results
The proportion of asthma among the respondents was 8.9%. The
rate of experience of EC use was higher among asthmatic respondents than
non-asthmatic respondents (10.3% vs 8.6%). Asthmatic respondents with
experience of EC use had a much higher proportion of negative mental
health states including depression and suicidality than subjects without
EC experience. In our adjusted models, perception of stress was most
strongly associated with depression (adjusted odds ratio, AOR=4.79; 95%
CI: 4.12–5.58), and perception of unhappiness was most strongly associated
with suicidal ideation (AOR=5.24; 95% CI: 4.51–6.09) and suicide attempt
(AOR=4.37; 95% CI: 3.36–5.69).
Conclusions
Many Korean asthmatic adolescents with experience of EC use
report relatively high depression and suicidal behaviors. A multidisciplinary
approach, including psychological help, may be required to prevent suicide
among this population, especially those who report associated factors.
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