title: Patterns of electronic cigarette use in current and ever users among college students in France: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: There is sparse information on electronic cigarette use and health behaviours among college student populations. Our objectives were to identify the patterns of electronic cigarette use in current and ever users among college students in France.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  
  A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted on two major campuses in France. Students filled in an anonymous questionnaire on their use of electronic cigarettes and on targeted behaviours such as smoking, alcohol consumption, binge drinking, use of cannabis, practice of sport and eating disorders. Ever use of electronic cigarettes was defined as use but not during the previous 30 days, and current use of electronic cigarettes as any use in the previous 30 days. The opinions and motivations of electronic cigarette users were also sought and collected.
  
  
  
  1134 college students between October 2014 and February 2015.
  
  
  
  The 1134 students included had a mean age of 20.8 years. The prevalence of ever use and current use of electronic cigarettes was 23.0% (95% CI (20.5% to 25.3%)) and 5.7% (95% CI (4.4% to 7.1%)), respectively. The prevalence of the combined use of conventional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes was 14.5%. Almost half (45.8%) of the ever users of electronic cigarettes had never smoked conventional cigarettes. Behaviours associated with ever use of electronic cigarettes were current cigarette smoking (adjusted OR (AOR)=3.97, 95% CI 2.71 to 5.83), former smoking (AOR=2.56, 95% CI 1.42 to 4.61), cannabis use (AOR=2.44, 95% CI 1.70 to 3.51) and occasional binge drinking (AOR=1.83, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.64). The only behaviour associated with current use of electronic cigarettes was conventional smoking, either previously (AOR=4.85, 95% CI 1.53 to 15.34) or currently (AOR=14.53, 95% CI 6.81 to 31.02).
  
  
  
  The ever users have an experimenter's profile with sensation-seeking while the current users are mostly smokers with intention to quit smoking. Our findings are crucial for the accurate targeting of student populations at risk and to implement appropriate awareness campaigns and health education programmes.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Investigation Center CIC-CRB 1404, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, Haute-Normandie, France INSERM 1073, Rouen University, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine (IRIB), Normandie Université, Rouen, Haute-Normandie, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Pierre
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Tavolacci
authors.affiliation: Clinical Investigation Center CIC-CRB 1404, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, Haute-Normandie, France.
authors.forename: Anca
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vasiliu
authors.affiliation: EA 2931, CeSRM-UFR-STAPS-Université Paris Ouest Nanterre la Défense, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romo
authors.affiliation: EA 2931, CeSRM-UFR-STAPS-Université Paris Ouest Nanterre la Défense, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Gayatri
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kotbagi
authors.affiliation: EA 2931, CeSRM-UFR-STAPS-Université Paris Ouest Nanterre la Défense, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.affiliation: INSERM 1073, Rouen University, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine (IRIB), Normandie Université, Rouen, Haute-Normandie, France Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, Haute-Normandie, France.
authors.forename: Joël
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ladner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000073865:Cigarette Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D009042:Motivation; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D000072137:Vaping / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: EPIDEMIOLOGY; PREVENTIVE MEDICINE; PUBLIC HEALTH