The use of electronic cigarettes among youth in the Republic of Kazakhstan

Abstract

Background: Electronic cigarettes are a growing concern worldwide and a new marketing product of the tobacco industry; however, traditional tobacco control strategies often only address the issue of cigarette use. Electronic cigarette use is a relatively new phenomenon in Kazakhstan and there has been no prevalence data for youth available in Kazakhstan. To address this gap in knowledge questions about the use and awareness of electronic cigarettes were included in the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) conducted in Kazakhstan in 2014. Methods: Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) is a nationally representative school-based survey of the youth aged 13-15 years. A total of 2,083 students in grades 7 to 9 completed the survey, of which 1,715 were at the target age. The survey enables to obtain of key tobacco control indicators and comparable data across countries. The GYTS questionnaire includes questions about awareness and the current use of electronic cigarettes. Responses were analyzed by gender. Results: 45.5% of youth have heard of electronic cigarettes. Awareness of electronic cigarettes among boys is 49.2% and among girls is 41.7%. The prevalence of current use of electronic cigarettes among school students is relatively low (1.6%). The current use of electronic cigarettes among boys is 2.0% and among girls is 1.1%. Conclusions: Current use of electronic cigarettes among the youth aged 13-15 years is low in Kazakhstan. However, monitoring the use of a relatively new tobacco product at the national level in Kazakhstan provides us with useful information for tobacco control policymaking and helps adjust the scope of public health strategies.