Association Between Vape Use by Medical Students and Anxiety Disorder Caused by the Course: An Integrative Review.

Abstract

Introduction: This study investigates the increasing prevalence of e-cigarette use among medical students, exploring its relationship with high levels of anxiety during the course. Objective: To explore the relationship between the increase in e-cigarette use among medical students, the challenges they face in relation to mental health and the emerging health risks related to vaping. Materials and methods: References on the theme of the relationship between high levels of anxiety in medical school and e-cigarette use among these students were consulted in the PubMed database. Results: Using search criteria and filters, 40 articles published in the last five years, addressing the intersection between anxiety, e-cigarette use and medical students, were analyzed. Then, a complete critical reading of the texts was carried out, excluding 30 studies and resulting in 10. Discussion and conclusion: The increase in e-cigarette use among these students can be attributed to the need to deal with anxiety associated with the competitive environment and high workloads. However, evidence highlights the health risks associated with vaping, including negative impacts on the cardiovascular system and lung inflammation. Normalizing e-cigarette use as a method of immediate anxiety relief among medical students could potentially lead to addiction and other long-term health problems.