Policy-Relevant Context of Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking among University Students in Six Countries Across the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A Qualitative Study

Autor: Salloum RG; Department of Health Outcomes and Policy, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. Email: rn06@aub.edu.lb, Abu-Rmeileh N, Hamadeh R, Thomas J, Mostafa A, Yusufali A, Kheirallah KA, Macauda MM, Theis RP, El Kadi L, Johnson EJ, Darawad MW, Nakkash R
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP [Asian Pac J Cancer Prev] 2017 Sep 27; Vol. 18 (9), pp. 2533-2540. Date of Electronic Publication: 2017 Sep 27.
DOI: 10.22034/APJCP.2017.18.9.2533
Abstrakt: Background: Waterpipe tobacco smoking rates in the Eastern Mediterranean region are some of the highest worldwide, especially among young people. This study aimed to improve our knowledge of the policy-relevant context of waterpipe smoking among six countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and the United Arab Emirates. Participants were young adult university students (18-29 years) from both genders who had ever smoked the waterpipe, recruited from universities participating in this study. Directed content analysis was used to analyze the transcripts. Results: A total of 53 in-depth interviews were conducted in Arabic in 2016. Findings were organized around 5 themes: waterpipe product characteristics; patterns of waterpipe smoking; the waterpipe café setting; perceived health consequences; and health warning labels. Waterpipe smoking was commonly perceived as a safe alternative to cigarettes. Waterpipe tobacco was reported to be widely accessible and affordable to young participants. There is a lack of knowledge among waterpipe smokers about the associated health effects. Warning labels are effective at communicating health risks associated with waterpipe smoking. Conclusions: Regulatory frameworks for waterpipe tobacco smoking should be developed and enforced, including waterpipe-specific health warning labels that elucidate the harmful effects of waterpipe smoking.
(Creative Commons Attribution License)
Databáze: MEDLINE