title: Prevalence and Correlates of E-Cigarette Perceptions and Trial Among Early Adolescents in Mexico.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Assess the prevalence and correlates of e-cigarette perceptions and trial among adolescents in Mexico, where e-cigarettes are banned.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional data were collected in 2015 from a representative sample of middle-school students (n = 10,146). Prevalence of e-cigarette awareness, relative harm, and trial were estimated, adjusting for sampling weights and school-level clustering. Multilevel logistic regression models adjusted for school-level clustering to assess correlates of e-cigarette awareness and trial. Finally, students who had tried only e-cigarettes were compared with students who had tried: (1) conventional cigarettes only; (2) both e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes (dual triers); and (3) neither cigarette type (never triers).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one percent of students had heard about e-cigarettes, 19% believed e-cigarettes were less harmful than conventional cigarettes, and 10% had tried them. Independent correlates of e-cigarette awareness and trial included established risk factors for smoking, as well as technophilia (i.e., use of more media technologies) and greater Internet tobacco advertising exposure. Exclusive e-cigarette triers (4%) had significantly higher technophilia, bedroom Internet access, and Internet tobacco advertising exposure compared to conventional cigarette triers (19%) and never triers (71%) but not compared to dual triers (6%), although dual triers had significantly stronger conventional cigarette risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that adolescent e-cigarette awareness and use is high in Mexico, in spite of its e-cigarette ban. A significant number of medium-risk youth have tried e-cigarettes only, suggesting that e-cigarettes could lead to more intensive substance use. Strategies to reduce e-cigarette use should consider reducing exposures to Internet marketing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, Education & Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia; Department of Tobacco Research, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, México. Electronic address: thrasher@mailbox.sc.edu.
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Thrasher
authors.affiliation: Department of Tobacco Research, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, México.
authors.forename: Erika N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Abad-Vivero
authors.affiliation: Department of Tobacco Research, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, México.
authors.forename: Inti
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barrientos-Gutíerrez
authors.affiliation: Department of Tobacco Research, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, México.
authors.forename: Rosaura
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pérez-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Department of Tobacco Research, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, México.
authors.forename: Luz Miriam
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Reynales-Shigematsu
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Salud, Economía y Sociedad, Centro de Estudios de Estado y Sociedad (CEDES), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mejía
authors.affiliation: Department of Tobacco Research, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, México.
authors.forename: Edna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arillo-Santillán
authors.affiliation: Department of Tobacco Research, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, México.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernández-Ávila
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire.
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Sargent
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D040541:Marketing / Q000379:methods; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Adolescents; Awareness; E-cigarettes; Internet; Marketing; Media; Mexico; Trial