TITLE

The Weird Link Between E-Cigarettes and Mental Health Disorders

Use of e-cigarettes by individuals with mental health conditions

DESCRIPTION

“Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report that people living with depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions are twice as likely to have tried e-cigarettes and three times as likely to be current users of the controversial battery-powered nicotine-delivery devices, as people without mental health disorders.”  The researchers used an extensive survey of smokers who have used regular and e-cigarettes (vape) comparing them to nonsmokers using self-reports of mental health conditions.  The results of the survey showed that 14.8% of individuals with disorders (anxiety/depression) have tried the e-cigarettes compared to only 6.6% of those with no mental health issues.  Overall, it should be noted that 60% of those labeled as having mental health issues also indicated that they would try e-cigarettes at some future time as compared to 45% of those without self-reported disorders.  Further noted is that those trying the e-cigarettes indicated that they were hoping to cut down and eventually stop smoking as reasons for using the device.

SOURCE

Time Magazine, May 13, 2014, by Dan Kedmey

ORIGINAL SOURCE:  

Use of e-cigarettes by individuals with mental health conditions
Sharon E Cummins et al., 2014 (July 23), Tobacco Control. 48–53

LINK TO RESOURCE

http://time.com/97414/the-weird-link-between-e-cigarettes-and-mental-health-disorders/

(shortened URL)   http://tinyurl.com/px6flqk

Link to Original:  http://europepmc.org/articles/pmc4145659

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

•The articles can be used in a number of different contexts:
•Smoking and addiction
•Smoking and mental health issues
•Use of SURVEY RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
•For discussion on the topic of Psychology as a Science:   What type of methodology is best to answer questions such as “What is the prevalence of smoking rates in those with mental health disorders?”
•Discuss the USE OF SURVEYS, random sampling, and drawing conclusions based upon survey data.
•Discuss the issue of skepticism in your class of students in whether they believe the results of surveys in media regarding advertising products, popularity of celebrities, and political polls,