OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the perceptions and attitudes of waterpipe (shisha) smokers in Qatar regarding the health risks associated with addiction and to determine their intentions to quit. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 181 self-reported waterpipe smokers. Participants were approached in public places as well as in shisha cafes in Qatar. The questionnaire included items related to perception, attitude and intention to quit. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were performed for data analyses, with P ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: About 44% of the respondents believed that waterpipe smoking was safer than cigarette smoking, and more than 70% would not mind if their children became involved in waterpipe smoking. More than half of the current smokers wanted to quit smoking shisha at some point, and 17% identified health concerns as the main motivating factor for their intention to quit. CONCLUSION: A large proportion of shisha smokers viewed shisha as a safer alternative to cigarettes, yet they admitted to intending to quit. These findings underscore the need to design educational interventions and awareness campaigns as well as impose stringent laws on waterpipe smoking in public places in Qatar.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the perceptions and attitudes of waterpipe (shisha) smokers in Qatar regarding the health risks associated with addiction and to determine their intentions to quit. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 181 self-reported waterpipe smokers. Participants were approached in public places as well as in shisha cafes in Qatar. The questionnaire included items related to perception, attitude and intention to quit. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were performed for data analyses, with P ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: About 44% of the respondents believed that waterpipe smoking was safer than cigarette smoking, and more than 70% would not mind if their children became involved in waterpipe smoking. More than half of the current smokers wanted to quit smoking shisha at some point, and 17% identified health concerns as the main motivating factor for their intention to quit. CONCLUSION: A large proportion of shisha smokers viewed shisha as a safer alternative to cigarettes, yet they admitted to intending to quit. These findings underscore the need to design educational interventions and awareness campaigns as well as impose stringent laws on waterpipe smoking in public places in Qatar.
Authors: Jassim Al Suwaidi; Khalid Al Habib; Rajvir Singh; Ahmad Hersi; Khalid Al Nemer; Nidal Asaad; Shukri Al Saif; Ahmed Al-Motarreb; Wael Almahmeed; Kadhim Sulaiman; Haitham Amin; Jawad Al-Lawati; Nizar Al Bustani; Norah Q Al-Sagheer; Waleed M Ali Journal: Postgrad Med J Date: 2012-05-31 Impact factor: 2.401
Authors: W Maziak; F M Fouad; T Asfar; F Hammal; E M Bachir; S Rastam; T Eissenberg; K D Ward Journal: Int J Tuberc Lung Dis Date: 2004-07 Impact factor: 2.373
Authors: Ahmad Moh'd Al-Mulla; Sahar Abdou Helmy; Jawad Al-Lawati; Sami Al Nasser; Salah Ali Abdel Rahman; Ayesha Almutawa; Bassam Abi Saab; Abdullah Mohammed Al-Bedah; Abdullah Mohamed Al-Rabeah; Ahmed Ali Bahaj; Fatimah El-Awa; Charles W Warren; Nathan R Jones; Samira Asma Journal: J Sch Health Date: 2008-06 Impact factor: 2.118