Almost a quarter of adults aged 18 to 34 vape daily or occasionally, according to new data.
On Friday, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) published the results of the 2024 Irish health survey, which found more than three quarters of adults considered their general health to be “good or very good” last year.
This was highest for those aged 35 to 44 years of age at 81.6 per cent, and lowest for those aged 75 years and over at 61.9 per cent.
Regionally, the percentage of people aged 18 years and over who considered their general health to be good or very good was highest for HSE Dublin and South East at 78.5 per cent, and lowest for HSE Dublin and Midlands at 72.5 per cent.
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Slightly fewer adults considered their mental health to be good or very good, at just under 71 per cent.
This was lowest for those aged 18 to 24 years, at 50.8 per cent, and highest for those aged 65 years and over, at 83.7 per cent.
A total of 18.7 per cent of people aged 18 years and over had been diagnosed with a specific neurodiverse condition, or suspected they were neurodiverse.
More than four in five (81.1 per cent) adults drank alcohol in the past 12 months, with 40.6 per cent drinking at least weekly.
The percentage who drank weekly was lowest among those aged 18 to 24 (26.7 per cent) and highest among people aged 55 to 62 years old (55.9 per cent).
In relation to smoking and vaping, some 10 per cent of those aged 18 years and over smoked tobacco products daily, while 7.1 per cent vaped daily.
Those aged 45 to 54 years of age were more likely to smoke daily than any other age group, at 13.3 per cent.
Vaping daily (13.6 per cent) or occasionally (10 per cent) was most prevalent for those aged 18 to 34 years.
Almost 8 per cent of adults had used cannabis in the previous 12 months, the survey found, with this figure rising to more than one in five (22 per cent) among 18 to 24 year olds.
Almost one in five adults provided care or assistance to at least one person from an age-related problem, chronic health condition or infirmity at least once a week.
Among those who provide care or assistance, people aged 55 and over provided the highest number of weekly hours on average, at 38 hours per week.
The research surveyed some 5,101 adults, mostly through an online questionnaire, which had 100 questions, as well as through a “small number” of telephone interviews. The data was collected in November and December 2024.
