Electronic cigarettes and their association with stress, depression, and anxiety among dental students in the UAE—a pilot cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: During dental school, students may encounter stressful events that contribute to stress, anxiety, and depression; in response to these factors, some students use vaping or electronic cigarettes. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between electronic cigarettes use and stress, anxiety, and depression among dental students. Methods: A cross-sectional study included 142 dental students in their preclinical, clinical, or internship year was conducted. The 142 participants were split evenly between two groups: smokers and nonsmokers. The average age of the study’s male and female participants was 21.6 years. Using the DASS 21 scale, participants were instructed to complete an electronic questionnaire assessing the association between electronic cigarettes use and stress, anxiety, and depression in smokers and nonsmokers. Results: According to the findings of this study, stress, anxiety, and depression were significantly associated with electronic cigarette use. Compared to non-smokers, electronic cigarette smokers reported higher levels of severe/extremely severe depression (OR: 10.34, 95% CI: [4.23–24.1]), anxiety (OR: 13.8, 95% CI: [5.4–30.1]) and stress (OR: 27.6, 95% CI: [8.9–85.8]). Compared to males, females were 2.5 times (95% CI: [1.02–6.1]) more likely to report severe/extremely severe anxiety (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrates a significant correlation between the use of electronic cigarettes and elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and depression among dental students in the UAE.