Teens who smoke and vape are more likely to be infected with coronavirus, study shows

Teens and young adults who have been tested for coronavirus are more likely to be infected with the disease if they smoke, vape, or engage in both, a recent study from Stanford University School of Medicine shows.

A COVID-19 diagnosis was 7 times more likely for those who both vape nicotine and smoke cigarettes when compared to non-users, according to the study.

In addition, teens and young adults who had used both vapes and cigarettes within the previous month were 6.8 times more likely to be diagnosed with coronavirus.

Participants who vaped and did not smoke combustible cigarettes were five times more likely to have coronavirus, according to the findings.

The study also found that participants who vaped and smoked cigarettes within the past 30 days were nearly five times more likely to experience coronavirus symptoms such as a cough or difficulty breathing.

But Dr. Michael Siegel, community health sciences professor at Boston University said the association between vaping and coronavirus demonstrated by the study could be due to other things.

“It is well recognized that youth who vape tend to be willing to engage in more risky behavior than their peers. This is what likely explains the observed findings,” said Siegel.

Siegel explained that youth who take the risk of vaping may also take on risks in terms of COVID-19 exposure, such as failing to practice social distancing.

“Without controlling for risk-taking behavior, I would not trust the conclusion of this study,” said Siegel.

The study was conducted in May using a national online national of more than 4,000 young people aged 13-24, another element Siegel calls into question.

“It is essentially a convenience sample consisting of youth who happened to respond to recruitment ads. The panel itself is not nationally representative in the first place,” said Siegel.

The authors of the study wrote that the results indicate a potential need and education when it comes to smoking and vaping.

As of February 18, a total of 2,807 hospitalized vaping-associated lung injury cases or deaths have been reported to Centers for Disease Control from all 50 states. Sixty-eight deaths have been confirmed in 29 states.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3kCD7Bm