Abstract Rationale The rapid expansion of electronic cigarettes (ecigarettes) has emerged as a major publichealth concern worldwide. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), data on prevalence are scattered, inconsistent and in many cases outdated, limiting capacity for evidencebased regulation and prevention strategies. Objective To estimate the pooled prevalence of lifetime and current ecigarette use among adolescents, young adults and adults in LAC, and to investigate variation by agegroup, country and regulatory context. Methods We performed a systematic review and metaanalysis in accordance with PRISMA 2020, registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024524541). Comprehensive searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, SciELO and LILACS, alongside regional surveillance data (GYTS, GATS, GSHS) and grey literature. We included observational and nationalsurvey studies conducted from 2010 to 2024 that reported prevalence of ecigarette use. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. Pooled prevalence estimates were derived via a randomeffects model using the Freeman-Tukey double-arcsine transformation, and heterogeneity was assessed by I² statistic. Results A total of 86 studies from 25 countries encompassing more than 1.3 million participants were included. Lifetime ecigarette use was estimated at 12.7 % (95 % CI: 10.5-15.1 %) among adolescents, 7.0 % (95 % CI: 2.6-13.4 %) among young adults and 2.9 % (95 % CI: 0.4-7.5 %) among adults. Current use (past 30 days) was estimated at 7.3 % (95 % CI: 6.1-8.6 %) in adolescents, 9.3 % among young adults and 3.0 % among adults. Prevalence was highest in Caribbean countries (e.g., Trinidad 90 %), partially explained by differing regulatory and methodological contexts. Conclusions Ecigarette use is rising markedly in LAC, especially among adolescents and young adults, and is particularly prevalent in settings with weak or absent regulation. These findings underscore the urgent need to strengthen epidemiological surveillance, harmonise regulatory frameworks and implement youthtargeted prevention strategies aligned with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Abstract Category: Epidemiology / Public Health Presentation Type: Poster Presentation. This abstract is funded by: None
Orozco et al. (Fri,) studied this question.