title: Prevalence and correlates of electronic cigarette use among adolescents in Greece: a preliminary cross-sectional analysis of nationwide survey data.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study reports the prevalence of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use among adolescents in Greece and explores how dual smokers of e-cigarettes and combustible (conventional) cigarettes differ from smokers of only combustible cigarettes across socio-demographic, familial, psychosomatic health and substance use characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-reports on smoking were collected from a nationally representative sample of 1320 15-year-old Greek students in the 2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were carried out with dependent variables a) lifetime smoking conventional cigarettes and b) lifetime e-cigarette use among lifetime smokers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About 36.9% of 15-year-olds reported lifetime smoking of conventional cigarettes, and 16.6% lifetime use of e-cigarettes, mostly experimenting (0.5% reported current e-cigarette use). Six in 7 ever e-cigarette smokers had smoked conventional cigarettes. Peers who smoke and lifetime cannabis use were significant correlates of both lifetime conventional cigarette and e-cigarette smoking, but more strongly for smoking conventional cigarettes. Alcohol use and low parental monitoring correlated with tobacco smoking but not e-cigarette use. Girls were more likely than boys to report lifetime use of tobacco, but, among lifetime smokers, boys had almost seven times the odds of girls of e-cigarette use. In lifetime smokers, low life satisfaction in females and current smoking of conventional tobacco were independently associated with the experimentation with e-cigarettes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Experimental use of e-cigarettes is relatively widespread among adolescents in Greece. Targeted interventions should focus on male smokers and the role of peer processes and cannabis use in the risk of experimenting with e-cigarettes.
authors.affiliation: National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Department of Neurology-Psychiatry-Social Medicine, 72 Vasilissis Sofias Ave., Athens 11528, Greece; University Mental Health Research Institute, 2 Soranou tou Efesiou St., Athens 11527, Greece. Electronic address: afotiou@med.uoa.gr.
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fotiou
authors.affiliation: University Mental Health Research Institute, 2 Soranou tou Efesiou St., Athens 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Eleftheria
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kanavou
authors.affiliation: University Mental Health Research Institute, 2 Soranou tou Efesiou St., Athens 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Myrto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stavrou
authors.affiliation: Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, 136 Sygrou Ave., Athens 17671, Greece.
authors.forename: Clive
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.affiliation: National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Department of Neurology-Psychiatry-Social Medicine, 72 Vasilissis Sofias Ave., Athens 11528, Greece; University Mental Health Research Institute, 2 Soranou tou Efesiou St., Athens 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kokkevi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Adolescents; E-cigarettes; Greece; HBSC; Smoking; Tobacco