The Faculty of Nursing (FIK) of Universitas Indonesia (UI) held an educational activity titled “Peningkatan Kewaspadaan Bahaya Vape pada Remaja Usia Sekolah” (Increasing Awareness of the Dangers of Vaping in School-Age Adolescents) on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at SMAN 14 Jakarta. This event aims to educate teenagers about the health risks of using e-cigarettes or vapes, which have recently become increasingly popular among them. Through this activity, UI supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, Health and Well-being, as part of UI’s commitment to the 17 SDGs goals covering the fields of health, education, and the environment.
In the event, Ns. Ai Aminah, S.Kep., M.Kep., a student of the Oncology Nursing Specialist Nurse Resident Program at FIK UI, stated that vaping is not a safe alternative to conventional cigarettes. Many teenagers are influenced by this view, even though vaping can cause a number of health problems, such as respiratory tract irritation, increased risk of heart disease, nicotine addiction, and even serious lung diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and E-cigarette or Vaping Associated Lung Injury (EVALI). In her presentation, Ai Aminah also shared data from the National Young Tobacco Survey (2020), which showed an increase in the prevalence of vape use in adolescents aged 13-15 years from 18% in 2016 to 19.2% in 2019.
Research from Johns Hopkins Medicine (2021) also confirmed the risks posed by chemicals in vape, such as diacetyl, which can cause severe lung disease, and nicotine which affects adolescent brain development. This educational effort also involves students in various interactive activities, such as games and discussions to discuss the negative impacts of vape use. The students had the opportunity to become “Duta Berhenti Merokok Vape” (Vape Quit Ambassadors) who are expected to be role models in their school environment to encourage a healthy lifestyle.
This educational campaign received support from the Kramat Jati Health Center, which also appreciated the relevance of this program to the current health conditions of adolescents. The program coordinator from the Kramat Jati Health Center, Julita Sibarani, S.Kep., said, “Vape and cigarettes are real threats to the younger generation. With this activity, we hope that more and more teenagers will understand the importance of stopping using vape and choosing a healthy lifestyle.”
In addition, this event also introduced the CERDIK healthy lifestyle behavior guide from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, which includes regular health checks, eliminating cigarette smoke, diligent physical activity, a balanced diet, adequate rest, and stress management. The Dean of FIK UI, Agus Setiawan, S.Kp., M.N., D.N., said that teenagers as the next generation need to be kept away from the bad risks of vape for a better future. “If we don’t act soon, we will face a bigger health crisis. We hope that students can realize the real health risks of vaping and make wise decisions,” she said.
This activity is part of the Oncology Nursing Health Promotion course supervised by Prof. Dr. Yati Afiyanti, Skp., M.N., and clinical supervisors Dr. Tuti Nuraini, S.Kp., M.Biomed., and Dr. Allenidekania, S.Kp., M.Sc. With UI’s commitment to supporting the achievement of SDGs, this activity is expected to make a real contribution to adolescent health and improve quality of life in the community.
