Abstract
Background: Tobacco use is strongly associated with social and health inequalities, being linked with economic vulnerability, morbidity and premature death. Young adults with disabilities face pervasive social and material hardship, inequalities that are potentially exacerbated by tobacco use. Relatively little is known about smoking and even less about e-cigarette-use in this young adult population. In this study, we report on protective and risk factors for smoking and e-cigarette use in Irish 20-year-olds with disabilities other than mental health conditions.
Methods: We use data from Wave 4 of the longitudinal Growing Up in Ireland Cohort ’98, when participants were 20 years old (n=4,729). Current smoking and e-cigarette use were measured by whether participants reported “occasional” or “daily” use. Disability was measured by whether respondents reported having one or more long-lasting health conditions or difficulties (vision; hearing; physical; intellectual; learning; pain or breathing). All analyses were carried out using SPSS version 27.
Results: Some 18% of 20-year-olds report having a disability. Bivariate and multivariable analyses show that disability is associated with significantly increased prevalence of smoking and e-cigarette use. Logistic regression analyses suggest that young men, starting smoking before age 16 and those in paid employment are at increased risk of smoking and e-cigarette use. In multivariate modelling, having a disability remains a separate and significant risk factor for smoking and e-cigarette use.
Conclusion: Smoking and e-cigarette use is significantly higher in 20-year-olds with disabilities adding further inequality to the lives of these rarely-surveyed young adults. Targeted surveys and interventions are required.