Electronic Smoking Behavior Among Adult Males in Jordan

Profiling Cardiometabolic Health in Jordan: A Call to Action to Improve Cardiovascular Health

Over the past decades, Jordan has witnessed unprecedented growth in the prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases, with a crude prevalence of 48.2% in 2020, up from 38% in 2009. This is slightly higher than the reported prevalence of 40% in the US population. According to the latest World Health Organization report published in 2020, Jordan's leading cause of mortality is cardiovascular diseases with a cause-specific mortality rate of 18.6%. Since the advancement of the healthcare system in Jordan took place in the early 2000s, Jordan has witnessed a major epidemiologic transition where the burden of infectious disease has decreased, but on the other hand, the burden of cardiometabolic disease has increased as well. For such a country with limited resources and healthcare infrastructure where two-thirds of its population is below the age of 30, this is alarming. This growth can be attributed to a complex interplay between genetic and lifestyle factors. Smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, and unhealthy diet are considered major public health problems in Jordan, as reported in 2007 by the Jordanian Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance. We attempt to raise awareness through this review article, so healthcare providers in Jordan understand the magnitude of the issue, and appropriate steps are taken to reestablish screening and management guidelines pertaining to cardiometabolic diseases in Jordan.

Health Literacy and Smoking Habits Among a Sample of Jordanian University Students

Limited health literacy is a significant predictor of engaging in unhealthy behaviors. However, the literature regarding the association between health literacy and smoking in university students is very limited. Thus, this study was conducted to examine the association between university students' health literacy and smoking habits. A cross-sectional design was used. A sample of university students (N = 327) was recruited to conduct this study. Data collection was performed using a demographics questionnaire and the health literacy questionnaire. AMOS was used to conduct data analysis using structural equation modeling analysis with maximum likelihood estimation. Different versions of the structural model were compared and evaluated based on specific fit indices criteria. The results showed that 30% of the participants were current smokers. Smoking cigarettes was the most common type of smoking in this study, and 23.1% of the participants were current users of two or more types of smoking (e.g., cigarettes and hookah). The structural model with three latent variables (health literacy, smoking status and type, and smoking frequency and duration) was the one that best fit the data; the model fit indices were X² = 305.84, df = 102, p < .001; RMSEA = .068; CFI = .95; CMIN/df = 2.51; TLI = .929; and AIC = 355.75. A single standard deviation increase of health literacy causes .38 decrease in smoking status and type and .13 decrease of smoking frequency and duration. The results showed that health literacy is negatively associated with smoking in a sample of Jordanian university students.

The Role of Pharmacists and Community Pharmacies in the Screening, Knowledge, and Awareness of Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 in Jordanian People Visiting Community Pharmacies

BACKGROUND

According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), diabetes is increasing exponentially worldwide and will become more prevalent than ever in the Middle East by 2045, with a 110% increase. This study aims to clarify the role of pharmacists and community pharmacies in the screening, knowledge, and awareness of Type 2 diabetes among Jordanian people who visit community pharmacies in Amman, Jordan.

METHODS

Study design: This was a cross-sectional prospective study that was conducted from September to December 2021 in Amman, Jordan. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire that was composed of multiple parts. The first part collected information on demographics, residence, educational level, and insurance status; the second part was composed of 14 knowledge assessing questions; the last part was composed of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) diabetes risk score card test. Additionally, after confirming that each participant had returned their completed sheets, participants who scored greater than 5 had their blood sugar levels checked using a finger-prick blood test. The questionnaire was administered in person by a trained researcher. Using Slovin's formula, a 95% confidence interval (CI), and a 0.05 margin of error, the sample size was determined to be 267 participants. The study included 305 participants. Descriptive and regression analyses were performed by using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) with a significance level of p < 0.05.

RESULTS

A significant relationship was found between specialty (medical education) and the knowledge of risk factors for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), (p < 0.012). In terms of knowledge, from a total of 13 correct knowledge points (13 marks for correct answers out of 14), some subjects scored slightly higher than others (n = 175; 57.4% of participants scored above 7, nearly over half of the correct answers, compared to n = 130; 42.6% scoring below 7). We found 132 individuals (44%) with risk scores of five or above (high risk for developing T2DM according to ADA). Smokers comprised n = 138, 45%, and nonsmokers comprised n = 148, 48%. Although 50.5% of the participants (n = 154) held a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree, these degrees did not improve the participants' overall general knowledge levels. The association was tested using chi-squared analysis, but no significance was found.

CONCLUSIONS

Random visitors to Jordanian community pharmacies are expected to benefit from awareness and educational campaigns. These test results revealed a lack of knowledge, indicating the need for education to dispel myths and highlight the serious risks associated with T2DM. The study discovered that participants' understanding of diabetes disease prevention through lifestyle and dietary changes was inadequate. A specialist-led educational program may increase knowledge among visitors who participate. In order to prevent the spread of diabetes, more campaigns and health-promoting and prevention educational activities are required.

E-cigarettes use among university students in Jordan: Perception and related knowledge

The use of e-cigarettes has been increasing in popularity among people, especially young adults. Assessing young individuals’ perceptions of e-cigarettes can help to identify factors that may influence their decision to use e-cigarettes. To examine prevalence, perceptions, and knowledge of e-cigarettes among university students in Jordan, an observational cross-sectional study using an online self-administered questionnaire was conducted among students from public and private universities between October 2020 and January 2021. A total of 1259 university students completed the questionnaire. Approximately, 11% of participants reported e-cigarettes use. Among users, 26.5% used it for the purpose of smoking cessation, while 22% of them used it out of curiosity, and 20.5% used it as they believed it is less harmful than other tobacco products. Multivariate analysis showed that conventional cigarette smokers were independently associated with a better knowledge about e-cigarettes (OR = 1.496, 95CI% = 1.018–2.197, p-value = 0.040). In addition, medical students showed a significantly better knowledge compared to non-medical students (OR = 1.710, 95CI% = 1.326–2.204, p-value = <0.001). In Jordan, e-cigarettes use is less popular compared to other countries. Nonetheless, educational interventions are needed to correct misconceptions about e-cigarettes among young adults.