Factors associated with e-cigarette initiation and transition to conventional cigarette among adolescents in Malaysia, a scoping review
Abstract Introduction Malaysia accounted for over 90% of Southeast Asia’s e-cigarette market capitalization in 2015, despite representing only 4.8% of the region’s population. Alarmingly, data from the National Health & Morbidity Survey (NHMS) reveals a sharp increase in e-cigarette use among Ma...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Discover Public Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00842-w |
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| author | Muzzammil Mohdkhairi David Mulenga |
| author_facet | Muzzammil Mohdkhairi David Mulenga |
| author_sort | Muzzammil Mohdkhairi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction Malaysia accounted for over 90% of Southeast Asia’s e-cigarette market capitalization in 2015, despite representing only 4.8% of the region’s population. Alarmingly, data from the National Health & Morbidity Survey (NHMS) reveals a sharp increase in e-cigarette use among Malaysian adolescents, rising from 1.2% in 2012 to 9.8% in 2017 and further to 14.9% in 2022. This trend underscores a growing public health concern, particularly given the potential health risks and possibility of e-cigarettes serving as a gateway to traditional cigarette smoking. This scoping review aims to explore factors associated with e-cigarette initiation and transition to cigarette smoking in Malaysian adolescents. Methods In December 2022, a search was conducted in Scopus, Ovid Medline, and Web of Sciences databases for studies focused on e-cigarettes and adolescents, defined as individuals aged 10 to 19 years, in Malaysia. Additional sources, such as gray literature from Google Scholar, government reports, and non-governmental organizations, were also reviewed. Studies focusing on populations outside Malaysia or including age groups beyond adolescents were excluded. Results Eleven studies were included, all focusing specifically on Malaysian adolescents. Similar to findings from high-income countries, factors associated with e-cigarette initiation include male gender, appealing flavors, media influence, and legal loopholes with poor enforcement. However, data on the transition to conventional smoking, especially among never-smokers, remains limited. Discussion This review underscores key research gaps, particularly the limited understanding of the risk of transition to cigarette smoking. Further research tailored to Malaysia’s unique social and legal context is necessary to address these gaps. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e0f05c7bedc1487d8c6eabb1afca3702 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 3005-0774 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-e0f05c7bedc1487d8c6eabb1afca37022025-08-20T03:04:15ZengSpringerDiscover Public Health3005-07742025-07-0122111610.1186/s12982-025-00842-wFactors associated with e-cigarette initiation and transition to conventional cigarette among adolescents in Malaysia, a scoping reviewMuzzammil Mohdkhairi0David Mulenga1Hospital Al-Sultan Abdullah UiTMUnicafAbstract Introduction Malaysia accounted for over 90% of Southeast Asia’s e-cigarette market capitalization in 2015, despite representing only 4.8% of the region’s population. Alarmingly, data from the National Health & Morbidity Survey (NHMS) reveals a sharp increase in e-cigarette use among Malaysian adolescents, rising from 1.2% in 2012 to 9.8% in 2017 and further to 14.9% in 2022. This trend underscores a growing public health concern, particularly given the potential health risks and possibility of e-cigarettes serving as a gateway to traditional cigarette smoking. This scoping review aims to explore factors associated with e-cigarette initiation and transition to cigarette smoking in Malaysian adolescents. Methods In December 2022, a search was conducted in Scopus, Ovid Medline, and Web of Sciences databases for studies focused on e-cigarettes and adolescents, defined as individuals aged 10 to 19 years, in Malaysia. Additional sources, such as gray literature from Google Scholar, government reports, and non-governmental organizations, were also reviewed. Studies focusing on populations outside Malaysia or including age groups beyond adolescents were excluded. Results Eleven studies were included, all focusing specifically on Malaysian adolescents. Similar to findings from high-income countries, factors associated with e-cigarette initiation include male gender, appealing flavors, media influence, and legal loopholes with poor enforcement. However, data on the transition to conventional smoking, especially among never-smokers, remains limited. Discussion This review underscores key research gaps, particularly the limited understanding of the risk of transition to cigarette smoking. Further research tailored to Malaysia’s unique social and legal context is necessary to address these gaps.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00842-w |
| spellingShingle | Muzzammil Mohdkhairi David Mulenga Factors associated with e-cigarette initiation and transition to conventional cigarette among adolescents in Malaysia, a scoping review Discover Public Health |
| title | Factors associated with e-cigarette initiation and transition to conventional cigarette among adolescents in Malaysia, a scoping review |
| title_full | Factors associated with e-cigarette initiation and transition to conventional cigarette among adolescents in Malaysia, a scoping review |
| title_fullStr | Factors associated with e-cigarette initiation and transition to conventional cigarette among adolescents in Malaysia, a scoping review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors associated with e-cigarette initiation and transition to conventional cigarette among adolescents in Malaysia, a scoping review |
| title_short | Factors associated with e-cigarette initiation and transition to conventional cigarette among adolescents in Malaysia, a scoping review |
| title_sort | factors associated with e cigarette initiation and transition to conventional cigarette among adolescents in malaysia a scoping review |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00842-w |
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