Abstract

E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce a vapor that can be inhaled. Vaping is a term used in association with use of e-cigarettes. Vaping has become widespread among the young adult population. In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration and Surgeon General declared vaping an epidemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts at the current rate of use among United States adolescents, 5.6 million under the age of 18 will face early death due to vaping. The purpose of this study was to determine vaping prevalence and vaping knowledge among college students. The study was also utilized to determine if primary care providers are educating college students regarding vaping. The researchers in this study utilized a nonexperimental, quantitative design. An electronic survey assessing demographics, vaping prevalence, vaping knowledge, and primary care provider education regarding vaping was distributed to students 18 years of age and older enrolled in two community colleges 6 and two universities in the southeastern United States. Data were obtained using SurveyMonkey, an online survey software company used to perform professional surveys. The Don’t Blow It: Anti-vaping Campaign questionnaire by Essentia Health was used as the knowledge section of the survey. The researchers had a total of 182 respondents, 172 of which completed the entire survey. The prevalence of ever-vaping in participants was 63.2%, and 83.47% were considered knowledgeable regarding the health risks of vaping. Of the participants who reported vaping, only 12.9% reported being educated about the risks of vaping by their healthcare providers.

Degree

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Department

Graduate Nursing

Degree Date

2022

First Advisor

Dr. Beth Turner

Second Advisor

Dr. Sueanne Davidson

Third Advisor

Dr. Teresa Hamill

Document Type

Thesis

Comments

contributions by Rhonda K. Shoemake

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