A recent study has revealed that Australian high school students suffering from severe depression or poor wellbeing are twice as likely to have experimented with vaping. The findings, which emerge from a survey of over 5,000 students aged 12 to 14, underscore the urgent need for early intervention targeting both mental health and vaping among teenagers.
The study, part of the OurFutures vaping prevention program led by the University of Sydney’s Matilda Centre, surveyed students from 40 schools across New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia. The research explored topics such as drug use, potential future substance use, and mental health issues including depression, anxiety, and stress.
Published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, the study’s results are concerning. One-third of the surveyed students reported poor wellbeing, another third reported high stress levels, and one-fifth exhibited significant anxiety. The data revealed that students experiencing moderate or high stress were 74% or 64% more likely to have vaped compared to those with low stress levels. However, the study found no strong correlation between anxiety levels and vaping.
The rising prevalence of both vaping and poor mental health among teenagers makes this link particularly alarming, according to University of Sydney Associate Professor Emily Stockings, a co-author of the study. “If we want to improve mental health and prevent vaping, we clearly need to address both issues simultaneously,” Stockings emphasized.
The study also pointed to the growing trend of vaping among Australian students. The percentage of students in years 7 through 12 who reported vaping in the past month has nearly quadrupled from 2017 to 2022/23. Simultaneously, two-fifths of Australians aged 16 to 24 have reported experiencing a mental disorder within the past year.
The results highlight the critical need for effective mental health support for young teenagers, particularly as they transition into high school. University of Melbourne Associate Professor Michelle Jongenelis noted, “It’s a critical period for development when students have just started high school. We need to do a better job of supporting them so they don’t turn to vapes to cope with anxiety, stress, or depression.”
The study further revealed that approximately 8% of students aged 12 to 14 had tried vaping, with about 2% having vaped in the last month. These figures rose significantly in the older age group of 12 to 15-year-olds, where 24% had tried vaping, and 13% had vaped recently. The average age of students in the study was 13, a time when mental health issues and substance use often begin to emerge.
However, the study did have limitations. Only one in 20 students attended an educationally disadvantaged school, and public schools were not surveyed, which Associate Professor Stockings acknowledged as a “slight limitation.” She noted that the study might have missed insights from the most vulnerable or disadvantaged students.
The research adds to a growing body of evidence linking nicotine use with mental health issues. However, the study could not definitively explain this connection as it was based on data collected at a single point in time. This research is the first part of an ongoing study within the OurFutures program, with students scheduled to participate in further surveys after completing courses designed to help them understand and avoid vape use.
As Australia grapples with rising vaping rates and increasing mental health concerns among its youth, these findings underscore the importance of addressing both issues in tandem to safeguard the wellbeing of future generations.
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