Analyzing the Sociodemographic and Personal Factors that Influence e-Cigarette Use in Türkiye

This study examines the sociodemographic and personal factors influencing e-cigarette use. In this study, the microdata set was obtained from the Türkiye Health Survey conducted by the Turkish Statistical Institute in 2019. Gompit regression analysis was employed to identify the factors associated with individual e-cigarette use. The study included data from 17,084 participants aged 15 or older. Findings indicate that 68.9% of e-cigarette users in Türkiye are male, and 60.8% are married. Among e-cigarette users, 62.8% also use tobacco, while 37.2% consume alcohol in addition to e-cigarettes. The results suggest that females are less likely to use e-cigarettes compared to males, but married individuals are more likely to use e-cigarettes than single individuals. Furthermore, the probability of e-cigarette use decreases with age but increases with higher levels of education. Individuals exposed to tobacco smoke, as well as those who consume both alcohol and tobacco, have a higher likelihood of using e-cigarettes. E-cigarette use poses significant societal challenges, including increased rates of disease, mortality, and workforce losses. Identifying the factors associated with e-cigarette consumption can highlight critical areas of concern, guiding efforts to reduce its use and supporting the development of effective control policies. This study underscores the importance of targeting specific groups for intervention, particularly young people, men, individuals exposed to tobacco smoke, alcohol users, individuals seeing a psychiatrist, those whose treatment is not covered by the Social Security Institution (SSI), and tobacco users. Addressing these groups can contribute significantly to reducing the prevalence and harmful effects of e-cigarette use.