SynthesisPloS one2025
Global prevalence of E-cigarette use among students: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Perspectives of Turkish family physicians in Istanbul about e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids: a cross-sectional survey study.Addiction science & clinical practice · 2026Article
- Article
- Sex Differences in Perceptions and Behavioral Context of Electronic Cigarette Use: A Cross-Sectional Study in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- Prevalence of e-cigarette use and its association with knowledge and attitudes among palestinian medical students and physicians: a cross-sectional study.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Prevalence, perceived effects, and motivations for adolescent e-cigarette use: A cross-sectional study in the Paris region.Tobacco prevention & cessation · 2026Article
- E-cigarette use among university students in Vietnam following the 2025 e-cigarette ban policy: A multicity cross-sectional survey.Tobacco induced diseases · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe growing use of e-cigarettes among students is a major public health concern. Yet, global data on its prevalence and associated risk factors remain limited. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the global prevalence of e-cigarette use among students and identify key predictors influencing usage patterns.
methodsA systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using articles retrieved from databases including Science Direct, Scopus, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and PubMed, between August 15 and September 21, 2024. Data were extracted using Excel and analyzed with STATA version 14. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic, and publication bias was evaluated through forest plots and Begg and Egger's tests. Subgroup analyses were conducted by geographic region, World Bank income classification, and level of education. A pooled odds ratio was calculated to identify predictors of e-cigarette use.
resultsA total of 40 studies with 654,853 student participants were included in the final analysis. The global prevalence of e-cigarette use among students was 22.65%. Usage varied significantly by region and demographic factors, with the highest rates observed in the Western Pacific (32.13%) and among high school students (33.62%). Students in high-income countries reported the highest usage (23.15%) as well. Key predictors of e-cigarette use included being male (AOR = 3.22), smoking conventional cigarettes (AOR = 5.35), and consuming alcohol (AOR = 3.14).
conclusionThis meta-analysis reveals a high global prevalence of e-cigarette use among students, especially among high school males in high-income and Western Pacific regions, with strong associations to conventional cigarette smoking and alcohol use. Prioritize region-specific school based interventions targeting high-risk students particularly high school males in high-income countries to curb e-cigarette use and associated behaviors like smoking conventional cigarettes and alcohol consumption.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.