{
  "abstract": "Introduction\n\nE-cigarette use among young adults is a concern in Hong Kong, where alternative smoking products have been prohibited since 2022, with public possession banned from 2026. Evidence among undergraduates is limited. This study examined e-cigarette use and associated psychosocial factors among Hong Kong undergraduates.Methods\n\nA sequential explanatory mixed-methods study was conducted at a Hong Kong university. Phase 1 was a cross-sectional survey (n=267) of full-time undergraduates aged ≥18 years, using convenience sampling. Measures, guided by an extended Theory of Planned Behavior framework, included peer influence, acceptability of public use, and perceived surveillance (1-5 scales). Outcomes were ever e-cigarette use during ages 13-19 years and current (past-30-day) use, analyzed by multivariable logistic regression (AOR, 95% CI). Phase 2 comprised 21 interviews, analyzed inductively.Results\n\nMean age was 20.8 years (SD=2.0); 55.4% were female. Ever use during ages 13-19 years was 12.4% (33/266) and current use 8.6% (23/266); 86.8% of ever e-cigarette users had also smoked. Peer influence was associated with ever use (AOR=3.34; 95% CI: 1.95-5.73; p<0.001) and current use (AOR=3.20; 95% CI: 1.86-5.49; p<0.001); female sex was inversely associated with ever use (AOR=0.25; 95% CI: 0.09-0.65; p=0.005). Current use was also associated with acceptability of public use (AOR=1.97; 95% CI: 1.08-3.61; p=0.028) and inversely with surveillance (AOR=0.63; 95% CI: 0.41-0.97; p=0.034). Stress relief and peer influence were the most reported reasons for use (43.4% each), and friends the most common source (67.9%). Regulatory deterrence did not differ between users and non-users (p=0.683) despite high policy awareness (89.9%). Interviews described initiation through friends, use under stress, and acquisition through friends and cross-border sourcing.Conclusions\n\nPeer influence was most strongly associated with e-cigarette use; perceived legal deterrence was not. Because this cross-sectional design cannot establish temporal order, further studies are needed to determine causality and characterize informal supply channels among university students.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Sociology, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong SAR, China."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 1,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Zecheng Mai"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2w00jycvr5f3x.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.18332/tid/226575",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13690069",
  "id": "2w00jycvr5f3x",
  "issns": [
    "2070-7266",
    "1617-9625"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42924254",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2737|Smoking Behavior and Cessation"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223175694",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13690069?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13690069",
  "pmid": "42924254",
  "published": "2026-10-22",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2w00jycvr5f3x.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:33Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42924254",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42924254"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2737|Smoking Behavior and Cessation",
      "subfield": "physiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Perceptions and psychosocial correlates of e-cigarette use among Hong Kong university students: A mixed-methods study.",
  "title_text": "Perceptions and psychosocial correlates of e-cigarette use among Hong Kong university students: A mixed-methods study.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:33Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2w00jycvr5f3x",
  "venue": "Tobacco induced diseases",
  "versions": []
}