School-based preventive interventions targeting e-cigarette use among adolescents: a systematic review protocol

Lauren Anne Gardner; Amy-Leigh Rowe; Nicola Clare Newton; Tess Aitken; Emily Stockings; Louise Thornton; Maree Teesson; Emma Krogh Devine; Katrina Elizabeth Champion

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-065509

School-based preventive interventions targeting e-cigarette use among adolescents: a systematic review protocol

BMJ Open. 2022 Sep 19;12(9):e065509. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-065509.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia lauren.gardner@sydney.edu.au.
² The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
³ The University of Sydney Library, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁴ School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
⁵ School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia.

Abstract

Introduction: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has drastically increased in recent years, particularly among adolescents. This poses several acute and chronic harms to young people, including poisonings, burns, serious lung injury and-where nicotine e-liquid is used-the potential to impact healthy brain development and precipitate future nicotine addiction. School-based prevention programmes have the potential to address this growing public health concern by reaching large numbers of young people during a critical period for intervention; however, the efficacy of such interventions has not been systematically explored. This systematic review aims to determine the existence and efficacy of school-based preventive interventions targeting e-cigarette use.

Methods and analysis: A systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and international clinical trials registries will be conducted from 2000 to April 2022 to identify eligible studies (randomised controlled trials, cluster randomised controlled trials and quasiexperimental studies) evaluating school-based interventions to prevent e-cigarette use among adolescents. Two reviewers will independently screen title, abstract and full text of all studies for eligibility. Both reviewers will independently extract the data and assess the risk of bias. Any discrepancies will be resolved by a third reviewer. Results will be summarised in a narrative synthesis and data will be meta-analysed if appropriate. Heterogeneity in findings will be assessed narratively, and using the I² statistic (where meta-analysis is feasible), meta-regression will be used to explore potential factors associated with programme efficacy, where data permit.

Ethics and dissemination: This research is conducted on published work and does not require ethics approval. The findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and used to guide the development of new school-based e-cigarette preventive interventions.

Trial registration number: CRD42022323352.

Keywords: Child & adolescent psychiatry; Health policy; PREVENTIVE MEDICINE; PUBLIC HEALTH.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems*
Humans
Meta-Analysis as Topic
Nicotine
Systematic Reviews as Topic
Tobacco Use Disorder*
Vaping* / prevention & control

Substances

Nicotine