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Jebai R, Asfar T, Cano MÁ, Nakkash R, Schmidt M, Wu W, Bursac Z, Maziak W. Effects of Pictorial Health Warning Labels on Intention to Quit Waterpipe in Lebanon: A Mediation Analysis. Nicotine Tob Res 2024; 26:764-770. [PMID: 37952202 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntad223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) on waterpipe (WP) tobacco packages represent a better strategy for communicating the health risks associated with WP use and promoting quit intention than text-only. However, the mechanism by which these warnings lead to higher intentions to quit remains unknown. AIMS AND METHODS This study explores how pictorial warnings versus text-only induces higher quit intention among a sample of young adult WP smokers in Lebanon. An online randomized cross-over experimental study was conducted in August 2021 among 276 young adult WP smokers who were exposed to two conditions: pictorial HWLs and text-only warnings on WP tobacco packages in random order. After each image, participants completed post-exposure assessments of health communication outcomes (eg, attention and negative affect). Using serial and parallel mediation analysis, we examined the role of attention, negative affect, cognitive elaboration, and perceived harm in mediating the relationship between exposure to HWLs and intention to quit. RESULTS Using serial mediation, exposure to pictorial warnings versus text-only was found to affect intention to quit through the following pathways: attention and negative affect, which accounted for 17.28% of the total effect, and through negative affect and cognitive elaboration, which accounted for 21.53% of the total effect. Results of parallel mediation showed that the indirect effect pathways via negative affect (β = 0.063; [95% bootstrap CI = 0.004 to 0.149]) and cognitive elaboration (0.047; [0.001 to 0.114]) were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS The findings call on designing and implementing attention-grabbing, emotionally evocative, and cognitively persuasive pictorial warnings in Lebanon and other countries to curb WP tobacco smoking. IMPLICATIONS This is among the first experimental studies looking at multiple mediators underlying the effect of exposure to pictorial HWLs on intention to quit in a sample of current WP smokers in Lebanon. The findings showed that using attention-grabbing, emotionally evocative, and persuasive pictures with a clear textual warning is crucial to maximizing the impact of implementing WP-HWLs regulations in Lebanon and other countries to curb WP tobacco smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rime Jebai
- Department of Epidemiology, Robert Stempel College of Public Health, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Health Law, Policy, and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Taghrid Asfar
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies, Aleppo, Syria
| | - Miguel Ángel Cano
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Rima Nakkash
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Michael Schmidt
- School of Public Health and Department of Art, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Wensong Wu
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Zoran Bursac
- Department of Biostatistics, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Wasim Maziak
- Department of Epidemiology, Robert Stempel College of Public Health, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies, Aleppo, Syria
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Malaeb D, Hassan BAR, Mohammed AH, Farhan SS, Al-Ani OA, Sarray El Dine A, Fekih-Romdhane F, Obeid S, Hallit S. Association between textual and pictorial warnings on tumbac (waterpipe tobacco) boxes and motivation to quit waterpipe smoking among Lebanese and Iraqi adolescents. BMC Pediatr 2024; 24:169. [PMID: 38459469 PMCID: PMC10921803 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-024-04649-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Waterpipe tobacco smoking has increased tremendously at a global level among all age groups, particularly young people. Previous studies have examined the impact of waterpipe tobacco pictorial health warnings on adults but scarce studies were done on adolescents. The aim of this study was to assess the association of textual versus pictorial warnings on tumbac boxes and the motivation to quit waterpipe smoking among adolescents located in two Eastern Mediterranean countries Lebanon and Iraq. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and November 2022, involving 294 adolescents waterpipe smokers from Lebanon and Iraq. The questionnaire included the Lebanese Waterpipe Dependence Smoking-11, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, the Waterpipe Harm Perception Scale, Waterpipe Knowledge Scale, Waterpipe Attitude Scale, the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, and the Motivation to Stop Scale. RESULTS When adjusting the results over confounding variables, the results showed that compared to finding the warnings to stop smoking not efficacious at all, adolescents who find the warnings moderately (aOR = 2.83) and very (aOR = 6.64) efficacious had higher motivation to quit. Compared to finding the warnings not increasing their curiosity for information about how to stop waterpipe smoking at all, participants who confessed that warnings increased their curiosity a little (aOR = 2.59), moderately (aOR = 3.34) and very (aOR = 3.58) had higher motivation to quit. Compared to not considering changing the tumbac brand if the company uses pictorial warnings, adolescents who would consider changing the tumbac brand (aOR = 2.15) had higher motivation to quit. CONCLUSION Pictorial and textual warnings on waterpipe packs were associated with higher motivation to stop waterpipe smoking. Public health education programs for this purpose seem warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Malaeb
- College of Pharmacy, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Ali Haider Mohammed
- Department of Pharmacy, Al Rafidain University College, Baghdad, Iraq
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia, Selangor, 47500, Malaysia
| | - Sinan Subhi Farhan
- Department of Anesthesia, College of Medical Science Technology, University of Mashreq, Baghdad, Iraq
| | | | | | - Feten Fekih-Romdhane
- The Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Department of psychiatry "Ibn Omrane", Razi hospital, Manouba, 2010, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Sahar Obeid
- Social and Education Sciences Department, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Jbeil, Lebanon
| | - Souheil Hallit
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon.
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan.
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Jebai R, Asfar T, Nakkash R, Chehab S, Schmidt M, Wu W, Bursac Z, Maziak W. Comparisons between young adult waterpipe smokers and nonsmokers' reactions to pictorial health warning labels in Lebanon: a randomized crossover experimental study. HEALTH EDUCATION RESEARCH 2023; 38:537-547. [PMID: 37436823 PMCID: PMC10714039 DOI: 10.1093/her/cyad027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
This study compares the impact of pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) and their placements on waterpipe parts (device, tobacco and charcoal packages) on health communication outcomes between waterpipe smokers and nonsmokers in Lebanon. An online randomized crossover experimental study was conducted among young adults (n = 403, August 2021) who observed three conditions of HWLs: pictorial HWLs on the tobacco package, pictorial HWLs on all waterpipe's parts and text-only HWL on the tobacco package in random order. Participants completed post-exposure assessments of health communication outcomes after each image. Using linear mixed models, we examined the differences in the effect of HWL conditions on several outcomes (i.e. warning reactions) between waterpipe smokers and nonsmokers, controlling for confounders (i.e. age, sex). Nonsmokers reported greater attention (β = 0.54 [95% confidence interval: 0.25-0.82]), cognitive elaboration (0.31 [0.05-0.58]) and social interaction (0.41 [0.18-0.65]) for pictorial HWLs on the tobacco packages than text-only compared with smokers. Pictorial HWLs on three parts versus one part elicited higher cognitive reactions and perceived message effectiveness in nonsmokers compared with waterpipe smokers. These findings provide valuable information for policymakers about the potential of implementing HWLs specific to waterpipes to prevent their use among young adults and limit tobacco-related morbidity and mortality in Lebanon.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Jebai
- Department of Epidemiology, Robert Stempel College of Public Health, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - T Asfar
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th St, CRB 919, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 5555 Ponce De Leon Blvd, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies, Aleppo, Syria
| | - R Nakkash
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Riad El-Solh 1107 2020, Beirut 11-0236, Lebanon
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, MS: 5B7, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
| | - S Chehab
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Riad El-Solh 1107 2020, Beirut 11-0236, Lebanon
| | - M Schmidt
- Department of Art, University of Memphis, 101 Wilder Tower, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - W Wu
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Z Bursac
- Department of Biostatistics, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - W Maziak
- Department of Epidemiology, Robert Stempel College of Public Health, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
- Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies, Aleppo, Syria
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Jebai R, Asfar T, Nakkash R, Chehab S, Wu W, Bursac Z, Maziak W. Impact of pictorial health warning labels on smoking beliefs and perceptions among waterpipe smokers: an online randomised cross-over experimental study. Tob Control 2023; 32:715-722. [PMID: 35444030 PMCID: PMC9582042 DOI: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2021-057202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) has substantially increased among young people in Lebanon, who perceive WTS as safer than cigarettes. Health warning labels (HWLs) can inform the adverse effects associated with smoking. Thus, their application to waterpipe offers a favourable policy to limit WTS epidemic. This study assessed the effectiveness of pictorial HWLs and their placements on waterpipe parts (device, tobacco and charcoal package) on several communication outcomes. METHODS We conducted a randomised cross-over experimental study among 276 waterpipe smokers (aged 18-34) between 13 and 26 August 2021. Participants observed three conditions: pictorial HWLs on tobacco packages, pictorial HWLs on three parts of the waterpipe (device, tobacco and charcoal package) and text only on tobacco package in random order. Participants completed baseline and postexposure assessments evaluating HWL effectiveness on attention, reaction, attitudes and beliefs, perceived effectiveness of HWLs and intention to quit WTS. Planned comparisons using Friedman test followed by pairwise Wilcoxon signed-rank test for multiple comparisons were conducted. RESULTS Compared with text only, pictorial HWLs elicited greater attention (p=0.011), higher cognitive elaboration (p=0.021), perceived message effectiveness (p=0.007), negative affect reactions (p<0.01) and greater psychological reactance (p=0.01). No significant differences were found for most communication outcomes between pictorial HWLs on three parts of the waterpipe compared with tobacco package only. CONCLUSIONS Pictorial HWLs on tobacco package were superior to text only for several communication outcomes. These findings provide strong evidence for potential implementation of pictorial HWLs on waterpipe tobacco packages to increase smokers' awareness of the health effects of WTS and correct false safety perceptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rime Jebai
- Department of Epidemiology, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Taghrid Asfar
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies, Aleppo, Syria
| | - Rima Nakkash
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Sara Chehab
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Wensong Wu
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Arts, Sciences & Education, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Zoran Bursac
- Department of Biostatistics, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Wasim Maziak
- Department of Epidemiology, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
- Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies, Aleppo, Syria
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Awad E, Hallit R, Haddad C, Akel M, Obeid S, Hallit S. Is problematic social media use associated with higher addictions (alcohol, smoking, and waterpipe) among Lebanese adults? Perspect Psychiatr Care 2022; 58:1554-1563. [PMID: 34716597 DOI: 10.1111/ppc.12963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the correlation between problematic social media use, alcohol use disorder, and smoking addiction through both cigarettes and waterpipe, among a sample of Lebanese adults. METHODS This cross-sectional study was carried out between January and April 2019. It enrolled 461 residents of the community randomly selected from Lebanon's districts in a proportionate rate. RESULTS Higher problematic social media use was significantly associated with more waterpipe addiction but not cigarette dependence and alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Awad
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Rabih Hallit
- Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Jounieh, Lebanon.,Department of Infectious Disease, Bellevue Medical Center, Mansourieh, Lebanon.,Department of Infectious Disease, Notre-Dame des Secours University Hospital, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Chadia Haddad
- Department of Research, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon.,Univ. Limoges, UMR 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Institut d'Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, GEIST, Limoges, France.,INSPECT-LB: Institut National de Santé Publique, Epidemiologie Clinique et Toxicologie, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Marwan Akel
- INSPECT-LB: Institut National de Santé Publique, Epidemiologie Clinique et Toxicologie, Beirut, Lebanon.,School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sahar Obeid
- INSPECT-LB: Institut National de Santé Publique, Epidemiologie Clinique et Toxicologie, Beirut, Lebanon.,Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Souheil Hallit
- Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Jounieh, Lebanon.,Department of Research, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon
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Examining the effect of waterpipe specific pictorial health warning labels among young adults in Lebanon and Tunisia: Protocol of a factorial experiment study design. Contemp Clin Trials Commun 2021; 23:100797. [PMID: 34235290 PMCID: PMC8249778 DOI: 10.1016/j.conctc.2021.100797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) has increased substantially in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), affecting young adults who perceive waterpipe as safer than cigarette smoking. Applying pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) on tobacco products has been effective in communicating health risks associated with tobacco smoking. However, there are few experimental studies that examined pictorial HWLs specific to WTS. Methods/design: This report describes the design and protocol of the first factorial experimental study that aims to test the effectiveness of pictorial HWLs based on their placement on waterpipe device, tobacco, and charcoal packages among young adult smokers and non-smokers residing in Lebanon and Tunisia. After completing a baseline assessment, participants will be randomly assigned to 3 experimental conditions in a 3 (HWL: pictorial HWL on tobacco package vs. pictorial HWL on 3 placements [device, tobacco, and charcoal packages] vs. text-only HWL on tobacco package) x 4 (pictorial HWLs) x 2 (waterpipe smokers vs. non-smokers) factorial design. We will use a within/between-subject design, where pictorial HWLs and time (pre vs. post-exposure) are the within-subject factors and waterpipe smoking status as the between-subjects factor. Participants will complete post-exposure measures that include attention, perceived harm, intention to quit (smokers) or initiate smoking (non-smokers). Discussion: This is the first international study examining the placements of pictorial HWLs using efficient within/between subject design. Findings will provide additional evidence to convince policymakers to consider three placements of HWLs specific to WTS as a promising regulatory target to curb WTS.
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Farran D, Khawam G, Nakkash R, Lee J, Abu-Rmeileh N, Darawad MW, Mostafa A, Kheirallah KA, Salama M, Hamadeh RR, Thrasher JF, Salloum RG. Association of health warning labels and motivation to quit waterpipe tobacco smoking among university students in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Tob Prev Cessat 2021; 7:44. [PMID: 34141959 PMCID: PMC8176861 DOI: 10.18332/tpc/134561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study aimed to determine associations between health warning label content and motivation to quit waterpipe smoking by gender and smoking location. METHODS Convenience samples of university students in three Eastern Mediterranean countries – Egypt (n=442), Jordan (n=535) and Palestine (n=487) – completed an online survey assessing health warning labels. Multinomial logit regression models were conducted to determine the association between different variables, particularly gender and smoking location, with motivation to quit. RESULTS In Palestine, female smokers were more motivated to quit waterpipe smoking when seeing textual warning labels related to children (T2) and pregnancy (T6) [T2: 1.8 (95% CI: 1.1–2.8), T6: 2.7 (95% CI: 1.6–4.3)] compared to males. Similar results were found in Jordan [T2: 1.6 (95% CI: 1.0–2.6), T6: 1.8 (95% CI: 1.1–3.0)]. As for the smoking location, home-only smokers in Palestine were more likely to quit in response to the following warnings: waterpipe smoking is addictive T1: 2.3 (95% CI: 1.4–3.7), harmful for children T2: 2.3 (95% CI: 1.4–4.1), harmful for the baby during pregnancy T6: 2.4 (95% CI: 1.3–4.3), and to believe that quitting reduces the health risks T9: 1.8 (95% CI: 1.0–3.1). These results were not found in Jordan nor Egypt. Smokers reported that the most noticeable location of a HWL on a waterpipe device is the mouthpiece. CONCLUSIONS A better understanding of motivation to quit and its association with various warnings and smoking location could guide countries on which warnings to require in legislation and where best to require them particularly in relation to location.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Farran
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Grace Khawam
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.,Centre for Development and Emergency Practices, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Rima Nakkash
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Juhan Lee
- College of Health and Human Performance, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Niveen Abu-Rmeileh
- Institute of Community and Public Health, Birzeit University, Birzeit, Palestine
| | | | - Aya Mostafa
- Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Khalid A Kheirallah
- Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Mohamed Salama
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Randah R Hamadeh
- College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain
| | - James F Thrasher
- Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, United States
| | - Ramzi G Salloum
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.,College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
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Joseph R, Alshayban D. Changes in Attitude to Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking among Youngsters in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2021; 22:1443-1450. [PMID: 34048172 PMCID: PMC8408403 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2021.22.5.1443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A growing number of epidemiological evidence suggests a significant increase in waterpipe tobacco smoking, and its potential to become a major public health concern in most Arabic countries, including Saudi Arabia. METHODS A cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the prevalence of intention to quit among ever users of waterpipe and intention to start among the never users. The study also investigated the barriers that may prevent users from quitting or trigger the nonusers to start waterpipe smoking. The study consisted of 464 university students from Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. RESULTS One hundred and sixty-eight (36.2%) participants were responded that they had WTS at least one time in the past. Among the ever users of WTS, 120 (71.4%) participants had made an attempt or more to quit WTS in the past, 64 (38.1%) had made more than one attempt, and nearly two-third expressed the intention to quit WTS in the future. Forty (13.5%) out of 296 never-users expressed their intention to start WTS in the future. The study further showed that peer influence, social acceptance, and risk perception were significant predictors of intention to start or stop WTS among students. CONCLUSION It is promising that substantial users have the intention to discontinue WTS, though a fraction of never users wish to try WTS in the future.<br />.
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Affiliation(s)
- Royes Joseph
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dhafer Alshayban
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
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