This study examines the growing public health concern of adolescent vaping, which has shown increasing prevalence globally and in the Philippine context. Guided by the need to understand the interplay of socioeconomic, environmental, psychological, and policy-related determinants, the study aimed to identify the factors associated with vaping behavior among adolescents in selected barangays in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed to determine relationships among variables without manipulation. The study involved 105 adolescent respondents selected through purposive-incidental sampling, ensuring that they had direct experience with vaping and represented early, middle, and late adolescence. Data were gathered using a researcher-developed structured questionnaire validated by experts and approved by the ethics and academic committees. The instrument included sections on respondents’ profile and perceived influences of socioeconomic, environmental, psychological, and policy factors on vaping behavior.Findings indicate that adolescent vaping is primarily influenced by external factors, particularly policy-related, socioeconomic, and environmental conditions, with psychological factors playing a secondary role. The respondents’ profile reflected a predominance of males from economically constrained households, with vaping behavior commonly facilitated through peer networks and characterized by the use of accessible disposable devices. The study concludes that adolescent vaping is a multifactorial behavior shaped by interacting structural and social determinants, highlighting the need for comprehensive and coordinated interventions. It is recommended that multi-sectoral strategies be strengthened through stricter policy enforcement, school- and community-based monitoring, parental education, peer-led advocacy, and accessible psychological support services. Future research is encouraged to adopt longitudinal and mixed-methods approaches, expand sampling across diverse settings, and further examine additional behavioral and environmental variables to inform better targeted, sustainable health advocacy programs.
Tablada et al. (Tue,) studied this question.