Uso de cigarros eletrônicos entre estudantes de medicina: análise integrativa sobre padrões, motivações e percepções de risco à saúde

In recent decades, the global public health landscape has faced increasing challenges in the face of the emergence and growing popularity of new forms of nicotine consumption. Among these, Electronic Smoking Devices (ESDs) appear to be a significant concern, especially among young adults, with an emphasis on their dissemination in the university environment. This highlights the need to deepen our understanding of the impact of these devices and their implications for public health, establishing a basis for broader scientific discussions. The aim of this study was to understand and analyze the patterns of use of these devices, their motivations and associated risk perceptions among medical students from public and private institutions in the state of Tocantins. To this end, systematic reviews were carried out in the PubMed, SciELO, BVS and LILACS databases, including studies published between 2018 and 2023 that addressed the use of Electronic Smoking Devices among medical students at different institutions. In addition, a survey form was applied, asking about users' motivations and perceptions in order to map their intentions. Among the results obtained, it was found that the main motivations for use are related to curiosity to experiment and the influence of friends, especially at festive events. The ease of acquiring these devices and, in some cases, their use in academic environments were also observed. The conclusion is that there is a significant underestimation of the risks to health, indicating the need for specific educational interventions and targeted prevention policies.