Educating Teens on the Risks of Vaping: A QI Project

Abstract

Background: As the dangers of traditional tobacco cigarettes were publicly realized, rates of cigarette smoking declined; however, the use of electronic cigarettes (vape devices) has increased, especially among the minor population. An abundance of misinformation about the dangers and risks of vaping is present in the public arena, especially among children whom the producers of these devices are targeting. Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention about vaping presented to children ages 13-18 years at a primary care health clinic in Queen Creek, Arizona. Changes in both knowledge and opinions about vaping were evaluated before and after the presentation of a PowerPoint presentation with an embedded instructional video. Methods: Over a three-week timespan, a convenience sample of 23 children at a primary care health clinic was assessed for pre- and post-intervention knowledge and intentions surrounding vaping following the presentation. Results: Paired t-tests revealed that changes to knowledge of electronic cigarette use were statistically significant following the presentation. 23% of the children also expressed a different opinion (against vaping) following the presentation of facts. Conclusions: This project and its findings presented stakeholders with the opportunity to consider effective educational interventions to address the vaping crisis affecting children. The dissemination of vaping prevention education, both in the community and within healthcare settings, may improve short- and long-term health outcomes for children.