Dataset Information

Characterization of Respiratory Symptoms Among Youth Using Heated Tobacco Products in Hong Kong.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are promoted as less harmful than combustible cigarettes but epidemiological evidence is scarce, especially in youth.

Objective

To investigate the associations of persistent respiratory symptoms with HTP use, cigarette use, and dual use among Hong Kong youth.

Design, setting, and participants

This was a territorywide cross-sectional school-based survey conducted from October 2018 to July 2019 using an anonymous questionnaire. Schools were randomly invited from a proportionate stratified sample in all 18 districts of Hong Kong. Poisson regression models using generalized estimating equations yielded adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs) of respiratory symptoms in (1) former and current HTP (vs never) users in the whole sample and stratified by cigarette use status and (2) exclusive HTP and dual users vs exclusive cigarette users. Statistical analysis was performed from October 2020 to March 2021.

Exposures

Former and current use of cigarettes, HTPs, e-cigarettes, and other tobacco products.

Main outcomes and measures

Respiratory symptoms for 3 consecutive months in the past 12 months.

Results

The study included 33 627 students with a mean (SD) age of 14.8 (1.9) years; 51.3% (18 171) were boys. Respiratory symptoms were reported by 16.3% (n = 5549) of all students, 29.3% (n = 226) of current users of e-cigarettes, 31.2% (n = 314) of current users of cigarettes, and 33.5% (n = 179) of current users of HTPs. Respiratory symptoms were associated with former (APR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.06-1.59) and current (APR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.23-2.06) vs never HTP use and current vs never cigarette use (APR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.30-1.74) after adjusting for various tobacco use. Associations between respiratory symptoms and current vs never HTP use were observed in never (APR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.36-2.59) and former (APR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.12-4.12) cigarette users, but not in current cigarette users (APR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.97-1.59). Respiratory symptoms were associated with exclusive ever HTP use (APR, 1.46, 95% CI, 1.15-1.86) and ever dual use (APR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.08-1.54) vs exclusive ever cigarette use. There was no association between exclusive current HTP (vs cigarette) use and respiratory symptoms (1.40; 95% CI, 0.93-2.11).

Conclusions and relevance

This cross-sectional study found that former and current HTP use were associated with persistent respiratory symptoms among youth, especially among never and former cigarette users. Respiratory symptoms were more prevalent in ever exclusive HTP users and ever dual users than ever exclusive cigarette users. These findings suggest that using HTPs instead of cigarettes may not reduce health risks.

SUBMITTER: Wang L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8280960 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:INTRODUCTION:Young children are especially vulnerable to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure. This study was carried out to determine whether household ETS exposure was associated with respiratory symptoms and medical service utilisation among Hong Kong healthy children in their first eighteen months of age. METHODS:A secondary analysis was done on the data obtained from our previous cross-sectional territory-wide pneumococcal carriage surveillance study in Hong Kong in 2013-2014. All measures were reported by caregivers. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to examine the associations between ETS exposure and outcome measures. Covariates included children's sex, age, body mass index z score, history of breastfeeding, gestational age at birth, birthweight, maternal age, living region, overcrowding of living area, household income, child care attendance, and presence of siblings. Additional adjustment for season and households' respiratory symptoms were made to ascertain the association between ETS and children's respiratory symptoms. RESULTS:The analysis included 1541 children (mean age: 11.2 ± 6.4 months; males: 50.7%). Current household ETS exposure (AOR=1.30; 95% CI: 1.00- 1.66; p=0.050) and postnatal maternal smoking (AOR=2.21; 95% CI: 1.06-4.64; p=0.035) were independently and significantly associated with all-cause doctor consultation in the past 3 months. Children living with more than one household smoker were more likely to have all-cause doctor consultation compared with the non-exposed children (AOR=1.70; 95% CI: 1.04-2.77, p=0.028). Postnatal maternal smoking was associated with all-cause hospitalisation in the past 3 months (AOR=2.48; 95% CI: 1.05-5.86; p=0.039). Children living in a household, where the daily consumption by household smokers was more than 20 cigarettes, were more likely to have respiratory symptoms compared with non-exposed children (AOR=1.99; 95% CI: 1.12-3.52; p=0.016). CONCLUSIONS:Household ETS exposure in young children was associated with respiratory symptoms and all-cause outpatient or inpatient medical service utilisation. The associations were potentially dose-dependent.