Ramzi G Salloum1,2, JuHan Lee1, Aya Mostafa3, Niveen M E Abu-Rmeileh4, Randah R Hamadeh5, Muhammad W Darawad6, Khalid A Kheirallah7, Mohamed Salama8, Wasim Maziak9, Rima Nakkash2. 1. Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA. 2. Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. 3. Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. 4. Institute of Community and Public Health, Birzeit University, Birzeit Palestine. 5. College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain. 6. School of Nursing, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan. 7. Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. 8. Medical Experimental Research Center, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt. 9. Department of Epidemiology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA.
Abstract
Background: The objective of this study was to examine waterpipe tobacco smoking patterns, places of smoking, and prices paid among university students in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was administered to a convenience sample of university students in three countries. Participants were young adults (18-29 years) who were ever waterpipe smokers, from Egypt (n = 728), Jordan (n = 790), and Palestine (n = 722). Measures included past-30-day waterpipe smoking, frequency, intensity, place of smoking, and prices paid per waterpipe smoking session and for packaged waterpipe tobacco. Logistic regression models evaluated the factors associated with past-30-day waterpipe smoking. Results: Past-30-day waterpipe smoking (prevalence) was observed among 60.7%, 67.7% and 63.1% of students from Egypt, Jordan, and Palestine, respectively. Among past-30-day smokers, past-5-day waterpipe smoking (frequency) was observed among 28.9%, 51.5%, and 48.6% of participants, respectively. Smoking in a café was highest among participants from Egypt (74.0%), followed by those from Palestine (44.8%), and Jordan (43.0%). Mean price paid per session was USD 0.99 (Egypt), USD 8.07 (Jordan), USD 6.05 (Palestine). The corresponding mean prices per packet were USD 0.86, USD 4.96, and USD 5.55, respectively. Predictors of past-30-day waterpipe smoking included younger age of initiation, male gender, employment, and smoking waterpipe alone. Conclusions: This study contributes to our understanding of waterpipe smoking patterns, places of smoking, and prices paid among young adults in a region with alarmingly high smoking rates. Understanding waterpipe smoking behaviors can inform the design of policy and educational interventions to curb its rising threat.
Background: The objective of this study was to examine waterpipe tobacco smoking patterns, places of smoking, and prices paid among university students in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was administered to a convenience sample of university students in three countries. Participants were young adults (18-29 years) who were ever waterpipe smokers, from Egypt (n = 728), Jordan (n = 790), and Palestine (n = 722). Measures included past-30-day waterpipe smoking, frequency, intensity, place of smoking, and prices paid per waterpipe smoking session and for packaged waterpipe tobacco. Logistic regression models evaluated the factors associated with past-30-day waterpipe smoking. Results: Past-30-day waterpipe smoking (prevalence) was observed among 60.7%, 67.7% and 63.1% of students from Egypt, Jordan, and Palestine, respectively. Among past-30-day smokers, past-5-day waterpipe smoking (frequency) was observed among 28.9%, 51.5%, and 48.6% of participants, respectively. Smoking in a café was highest among participants from Egypt (74.0%), followed by those from Palestine (44.8%), and Jordan (43.0%). Mean price paid per session was USD 0.99 (Egypt), USD 8.07 (Jordan), USD 6.05 (Palestine). The corresponding mean prices per packet were USD 0.86, USD 4.96, and USD 5.55, respectively. Predictors of past-30-day waterpipe smoking included younger age of initiation, male gender, employment, and smoking waterpipe alone. Conclusions: This study contributes to our understanding of waterpipe smoking patterns, places of smoking, and prices paid among young adults in a region with alarmingly high smoking rates. Understanding waterpipe smoking behaviors can inform the design of policy and educational interventions to curb its rising threat.
Authors: Mohammad Ebrahimi Kalan; Raed Behaleh; Joseph R DiFranza; Zoran Bursac; Ziyad Ben Taleb; Malak Tleis; Taghrid Asfar; Rima Nakkash; Kenneth D Ward; Thomas Eissenberg; Wasim Maziak Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2020-07-02 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: Rima Nakkash; Yousef Khader; Ali Chalak; Ruba Abla; Niveen M E Abu-Rmeileh; Aya Mostafa; Mohammed Jawad; Ji-Hyun Lee; Ramzi G Salloum Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2022-03-04 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Dina Farran; Grace Khawam; Rima Nakkash; Juhan Lee; Niveen Abu-Rmeileh; Muhammad W Darawad; Aya Mostafa; Khalid A Kheirallah; Mohamed Salama; Randah R Hamadeh; James F Thrasher; Ramzi G Salloum Journal: Tob Prev Cessat Date: 2021-06-04
Authors: Rima Nakkash; Malak Tleis; Sara Chehab; Wu Wensong; Michael Schmidt; Kenneth D Ward; Wasim Maziak; Taghrid Asfar Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-07-05 Impact factor: 3.390