Prevalence and characteristics of electronic cigarette use among students from public and private schools in Bogotá, Colombia.

<bold>Objective:</bold> To characterize the use of electronic cigarettes (EC) and evaluate possible associated factors, in public (PBS) and private schools (PVS). <bold>Method:</bold> Descriptive cross-sectional study on a representative sample of students (n= 393;PBS= 152;PVS=241;10-18 years old) in 2023. Anonymous survey. We calculated prevalences and used two binomial logistic regression models to determine the factors associated with the prevalence of current use in the last 30 days (PCU). The first model with all the independent variables (MIV) [AUC: 0.869;Hosmer and Lemeshow, goodness of fit (GOF);p-value:0.1832]. The second model with just the variables of social influence (MSI) [AUC: 0.6928;GOF p-value:0.1228]. <bold>Results:</bold> The prevalence of ever use of EC and the PCU, in PBS was: 31.79% and 19.21%, in PVS it was: 20.75% and 22.45% respectively. The most frequent age of onset was 10-12 years 19.21% in PBS and 13 to 14 years 34.90% in PVS. In the MIV, 4 independent variables had a significant effect on PCU, 3 associated with positive perception, “I would enjoy using EC” (OR: 5.61; [95% CI: 1.96-17.58] p: 0.001), "EC give me energy and vitality" (OR: 4.53; [95% CI: 1.50-14.82] p: 0.009), "EC do not generate addiction" (OR: 4.57 [95% CI: 1.59- 14.30] p: 0.006) and one variable of consumption, using them with nicotine (OR: 5.88; [95% CI: 2.26 - 16.31] p: 0.0004). In the MSI, analyzed independently, the only one statistically significant was the presence of environmental tobacco smoke (OR: 2.32 [CI: 95%: 1.32- 4.15] p: 0.004) <bold>Conclusions:</bold> EC use was associated with favorable attitudes, nicotine use, and environmental tobacco smoke. School type did not influence EC use.