Keywords
Anxiety
Craving
Nicotine use
Young adults
How to Cite
Copyright © | All rights reserved.
The journal holds the exclusive copyright for the publication of this article under the terms of Brazilian law 9610/98.
Partial reproduction
The use of parts of the texts, figures and questionnaire of the article is free, being mandatory the citation of the authors and journal.
Total reproduction
It is expressly prohibited and must be authorized by the journal.
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the relationship between anxiety and electronic cigarette use among young adults, examining how anxiety levels are associated with craving and consumption patterns. Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional, quantitative study using a secondary database of 133 electronic cigarette users. Sociodemographic variables, duration of use, daily consumption, frequency of use, craving scores, and anxiety levels assessed by the STAI were analyzed. Internal consistency of the scales was verified using Cronbach’s alpha, and associations between continuous variables were examined with Pearson’s correlation, adopting a 5% significance level. Results: Participants had a mean age of 21.9 years, with an average of 2.5 years of electronic cigarette use. Craving was positively correlated with duration of use (r=0.33) and showed moderate associations with state anxiety (r=0.48) and trait anxiety (r=0.52). No significant sex differences were identified for anxiety or craving. Conclusion: Anxiety played a more substantial role in craving than immediate consumption indicators. Findings suggest that psychological factors, particularly anxiety, increase vulnerability to continued nicotine use, highlighting the relevance of targeted interventions aimed at reducing craving and addressing anxiety-related mechanisms.
References
AVELAR AJ, GEORGE O. How nicotine withdrawal symptoms fight each other: interpeduncular GABA neuron activity dynamically controls negative affect vs. coping behavior. Neuropsychopharmacol., 2022; 47: 617–618.
BECKER TD, et al. Systematic review of electronic cigarette use (vaping) and mental health comorbidity among adolescents and young adults. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2021; 23(3): 415–25.
BIAGGIO AMB, NATALÍCIO L. Manual para o Inventário de Ansiedade Traço Estado (IDATE). Rio de Janeiro: CEPA; 1979.
CABRAL AR, et al. Os impactos negativos do uso do cigarro eletrônico na saúde. Diversitas Journal, 2022; 7(1): 0277-0289.
DO EK, et al. Depression, anxiety, stress, and current e-cigarette use: Results from the Truth Longitudinal Cohort of youth and young adults (2022-2023). J Affect Disord., 2024.
DONALDSON CD, et al. Nicotine vaping for relaxation and coping: Race/ethnicity differences and social connectedness mechanisms. Addict Behav., 2022; 132: 107365.
DOS SANTOS FRANCO J, et al. Cigarros Eletrônicos e a Dependência de Nicotina: Análise dos Mecanismos Neurobiológicos. Brazilian Journal of Implantology and Health Sciences, 2024; 6(11): 2448-2464.
ERHABOR J, et al. Psychosocial stressors and current e-cigarette use in the youth risk behavior survey. BMC Public Health, 2023; 23(1): 1080.
GARCIA PLB, et al. Prevalência e perfil de uso de cigarros eletrônicos em estudantes de medicina de uma capital do sul do Brasil. Revista De Medicina, 2024; 103(2): e-219219.
GODÓI AT, et al. Prevalência e fatores associados ao uso de cigarro eletrônico por estudantes universitários. Arquivos de Ciências da Saúde da UNIPAR, 2024; 28(1): 160–73.
GOMES AC, et al. Influência social e uso de álcool, cigarros eletrônicos e narguilé: um estudo das percepções e motivações de estudantes universitários brasileiros. Revista Internacional de Educação Superior, 2025; 11: e025035.
GOMES CS, et al. Fatores associados às doenças cardiovasculares na população adulta brasileira: Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde, 2019. Revista brasileira de Epidemiologia, 2021; 24: e210013.
JAVED S, et al. A Scoping Review of Vaping, E-Cigarettes and Mental Health Impact: Depression and Suicidality. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect, 2022; 12(3): 33-39.
LEÃO AM, et al. Prevalência e fatores associados à depressão e ansiedade entre estudantes universitários da área da saúde de um grande centro urbano do Nordeste do Brasil. Revista brasileira de educação médica, 2018; 42(4): 55-65.
MASAKI K, et al. Relationships Between Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety, Impulsivity and Cigarette and E-cigarette Use Among Young Adults. Hawaii J Health Soc Welf., 2022; 81(3): 51-57.
OBISESAN OH, et al. Association Between e-Cigarette Use and Depression in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2016-2017. JAMA Netw Open, 2019; 2(12): e1916800.
OLIVEIRA MDS, DA SILVA PF. Study of the influence of electronic cigarettes on the development of cardiovascular diseases in the young audience. Brazilian Journal of Development, 2022; 8(6): 43967-43982.
PAIVA MO, et al. Prevalência do uso de narguilé entre universitários da área da saúde. Revista de Medicina. 2020; 99(4): 335-341.
PISCIOTTA ABS, et al. Efeitos nocivos do tabagismo no sistema respiratório. Revista Pesquisa e Ação, 2018; 4(2): 1-10.
POLESE AG, et al. Relação entre as variáveis comportamentais e o desempenho acadêmico: um estudo com acadêmicos de administração e ciências contábeis. Revista Mineira de Contabilidade, 2019; 20(3): 6-19.
PORTES LH, et al. Trajetória da política de controle do tabaco no Brasil de 1986 a 2016. Cadernos de Saúde Pública, 2018; 34(2): 1-20.
TORRES NR. O impacto do cigarro eletrônico na saúde bucal: Revisão de literatura. Revista Biociência, 2021; 27(2): 8-18.
ZENI TC, ARAUJO RB. Relação entre o craving por tabaco e o craving por crack em pacientes internados para desintoxicação. Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria, 2011; 60: 28-33.