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Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique logoLink to Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique
. 2015 Mar 1;106(3):e121–e126. doi: 10.17269/CJPH.106.4764

Waterpipe use among high school students in Ontario: Demographic and substance use correlates

Hayley A Hamilton 17,27, Roberta Ferrence 17,27,37, Angela Boak 17, Shawn O’Connor 27,37, Robert E Mann 17,27, Robert Schwartz 17,27,37, Edward M Adlaf 17,27
PMCID: PMC6972403  PMID: 26125237

Abstract

Objective

To examine waterpipe use and its association with demographic factors, tobacco cigarette smoking, ever use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and alcohol use among high school students.

Methods

Data were derived from the 201 3 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a school-based survey of 7th to 12th grade students. This province-wide survey was based on a stratified two-stage cluster design. Analyses were based on a subsample of 2,873 high school students and included adjustments for the complex sample design.

Results

Overall, 12.5% of high school students (grades 9-12) had used a waterpipe in the previous year. Awareness of waterpipes was high - 68.4% of students reported that they were aware of waterpipes but had not used one in the past year; 19.1 % had never heard of waterpipes or hookah. The percentage of high school students reporting waterpipe use in the past year was similar to reports of tobacco cigarette use (12.5% and 11 % respectively). Waterpipe use was highly associated with past-year tobacco cigarette and regular alcohol use as well as ever use of e-cigarettes. In multivariate analyses, males and females had similar odds of waterpipe use, and non-White students and those in higher grades had greater odds of use after controlling for other substance use.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that waterpipe use among high school students should be of some concern and suggest the need for policy measures to address potential risks associated with use.

Key words: Waterpipe smoking, hookah smoking, adolescents, tobacco use

Footnotes

Funding sources: This research is based on the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a Centre for Addiction and Mental Health initiative funded in part through ongoing support from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, as well as targeted funding from several provincial agencies. The Ontario Tobacco Research Unit receives funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Conflict of Interest: None to declare.

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