SARS-CoV-2 infection and e-cigarette use, binge drinking, and other associated risk factors in a college population

Abstract

In the summer of 2020, SARS-CoV-2 infection rates among the U.S. population aged 20–39 years exceeded other age groups, with the largest increases occurring in the southern US. As many colleges reopened for in-person instruction in August and September, these trends continued among campuses across the country. Our study aimed to identify risk factors (demographic and behavioral) associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection among college students. We used data from a survey administered to students at a southern university in the US. The survey had a total of 765 respondents and this study included the 679 (88.8%) who responded about their SARS-CoV-2 infection status. We examined associations between population characteristics and reported SARS-CoV-2 infection and calculated prevalence ratios along with 95% confidence intervals. SARS-CoV-2 infection was 2.5 times more likely among current users of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) compared to those who do not use ENDS (95% confidence interval [CI]: (1.76–3.4)) and 2.8 times more likely among those who reported a high frequency of binge drinking compared to those who did not report binge drinking (95% CI: (1.81–4.36)). Current high frequency ENDS users were 2.76 (1.79–4.25) more likely to report SARS-CoV-2 infection than non-users. Current low frequency users of ENDS were 2.27 (1.53–3.37) times more likely to report SARS-CoV-2 infection than nonusers. A trend analysis among ENDS use frequency and SARS-CoV-2 infection was statistically significant, showing a significant dose response with increasing ENDS use. The results of this analysis may assist in providing guidance on policies as well as may serve as a steppingstone for future research concerning SAR-CoV-2 infection among university populations.