Young people who were tested for COVID-19 and vaped were five to seven times more likely to be infected than those who did not use e-cigarettes, according to new findings published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
More than 4,000 participants ages 13 to 24 completed an online survey. There were equal number of participants who used e-cigarettes and who never used nicotine products. There were also equal numbers of people in different age groups (teens, young adults, and adults), races, and genders.
The online survey asked participants if they used vaping devices, combustible cigarettes, and whether they had vaped or smoked in the past 30 days. It also asked if participants experienced COVID-19 symptoms, received a test for COVID-19, or a positive diagnosis after being tested.
Researchers adjusted the data for traditional factors, compliance with shelter-in-place orders, rate of COVID-19 diagnosis in the states where participants resided, and state and regional trends in e-cigarette use. They found that young people who used cigarettes and e-cigarettes in the last 30 days were nearly five times as likely to experience COVID-19 symptoms, such as coughing, fever, tiredness, and difficulty breathing than nonusers. Among participants who were tested for COVID-19, those who used e-cigarettes were five times more likely to be diagnosed with COVID-19 than nonusers. The study was funded by NHLBI.