Characteristics of messages in Spanishlanguage vaping messages about vaping shared on X (Twitter) social network X (Twitter) (2020-2021)

Introduction: X, formerly known as Twitter, is a social media platform where topics of public interest are disseminated, including the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of messages in Spanish about vaping shared on social network X (Twitter). Methods: A descriptive, observational, cross-sectional, and correlational study was conducted. Messages in Spanish published on X (Twitter) between March 1, 2020, and September 1, 2021, were retrieved using Twitter's advanced search function with keywords and hashtags related to vaping. Data were collected using Microsoft Excel, and sentiment analysis was performed using the Azure Machine Learning add-in for the program. Descriptive and inferential analysis was carried out using SPSS Version 28 statistical software. Results: A total of 54 messages comprised the complete universe of vapingrelated tweets in Spanish meeting the inclusion criteria during the study period. The messages were predominantly pro-vaping (88.9%) with a positive emotional tone (80.0%), with individual and corporate authors each representing 48.1% of the senders. Notably, no messages from healthcare organizations were identified, and anti-vaping messages with a positive tone represented only 3.6% of the total. A significant positive correlation was found between the use of external links and retweets (r = 0.457; p = 0.001), while significant negative correlations were observed between retweets and message length (r = -0.468; p = 0.001), hashtag use (r = -0.578; p = 0.001), and images (r = -0.425; p = 0.001). Conclusions: Messages about vaping shared on the social network X (Twitter) are disseminated by both individuals and companies, and are characterized by a predominantly pro-vaping stance and a positive emotional tone, favoring the promotion of vaping. The complete absence of healthcare organizations as broadcasters and the minimal presence of anti-vaping messages with a positive emotional tone reveal a significant gap in public health communication in this digital space.