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Peer-reviewedCC BYPreventive medicine reports

Gender differences in the use of modern nicotine products among adolescents in northern Germany: a cross-sectional school-based study.

  • Mareike Lüthgen1,2
  • Florian Graf1
  • Niel Heitmann1
  • Adrian Heinz1
  • Daniel Drömann1,2
  • Folke Brinkmann3,2
  • Klaas F Franzen1,2
  • Loana Penner3,2
  1. 1University of Lübeck, Medical Clinic III (Pulmonology), University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Germany.
  2. 2Airway Research Center North, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 22927 Großhansdorf, Germany.
  3. 3University of Lübeck, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Germany.
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Abstract

To examine gender differences in the use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and oral nicotine products among adolescents in Germany. This cross-sectional study analyzed survey data from 958 students aged 11-21 years at six secondary schools in northern Germany, collected February - May 2026 within the SchoolVapeScience project. Lifetime and regular use, and, among lifetime users, initiation, use patterns, consumption contexts, and motives were compared between male (n = 446) and female (n = 505) participants using chi-square tests, t-tests, and ordinal logistic regression. Female participants reported higher lifetime (28.1% vs. 21.5%) and regular (17.0% vs. 10.3%) e-cigarette use, whereas regular use of oral nicotine products was more common among males (5.2% vs. 1.6%). Cigarette use did not differ by gender. Male users initiated e-cigarette use earlier (13.2 vs. 14.2 years) and more often reported poly-use (38.2% vs. 22.2%). Among cigarette users, weight control was a more common motive among females (21.1% vs. 1.5%), whereas male users of oral nicotine products more often reported school-related consumption contexts. Gender differences in adolescent nicotine use lie less in overall use than in product choice, use patterns, and motives. Prevention strategies should be gender-sensitive and address modern nicotine products.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{luthgen2026gender,
  title = {{Gender differences in the use of modern nicotine products among adolescents in northern Germany: a cross-sectional school-based study.}},
  author = {Mareike Lüthgen and Florian Graf and Niel Heitmann and Adrian Heinz and Daniel Drömann and Folke Brinkmann and Klaas F Franzen and Loana Penner},
  journal = {Preventive medicine reports},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103676},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42999647},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Gender differences in the use of modern nicotine products among adolescents in northern Germany: a cross-sectional school-based study.
AU  - Mareike Lüthgen
AU  - Florian Graf
AU  - Niel Heitmann
AU  - Adrian Heinz
AU  - Daniel Drömann
AU  - Folke Brinkmann
AU  - Klaas F Franzen
AU  - Loana Penner
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/29
JO  - Preventive medicine reports
DO  - 10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103676
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42999647
AB  - To examine gender differences in the use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and oral nicotine products among adolescents in Germany. This cross-sectional study analyzed survey data from 958 students aged 11-21 years at six secondary schools in northern Germany, collected February - May 2026 within the SchoolVapeScience project. Lifetime and regular use, and, among lifetime users, initiation, use patterns, consumption contexts, and motives were compared between male (n = 446) and female (n = 505) participants using chi-square tests, t-tests, and ordinal logistic regression. Female participants reported higher lifetime (28.1% vs. 21.5%) and regular (17.0% vs. 10.3%) e-cigarette use, whereas regular use of oral nicotine products was more common among males (5.2% vs. 1.6%). Cigarette use did not differ by gender. Male users initiated e-cigarette use earlier (13.2 vs. 14.2 years) and more often reported poly-use (38.2% vs. 22.2%). Among cigarette users, weight control was a more common motive among females (21.1% vs. 1.5%), whereas male users of oral nicotine products more often reported school-related consumption contexts. Gender differences in adolescent nicotine use lie less in overall use than in product choice, use patterns, and motives. Prevention strategies should be gender-sensitive and address modern nicotine products.
SN  - 2211-3355
ER  -