OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to measure the correlates, including normative beliefs, associated with waterpipe (WP) and cigarette smoking prevalence and dependence. SETTING A cross-sectional study was carried out using a proportionate cluster sample of Lebanese students in 17 public and private universities. PARTICIPANTS Of the 4900 distributed questionnaires, 3384 (69.1%) wer...

BACKGROUND Evidence is conflicting as to the whether tobacco smoking prevalence is higher in refugee than non-refugee populations. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence and frequency of tobacco smoking in Palestine refugee and non-refugee adolescent populations in the Middle East. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) conducted...

Background: Tobacco is consumed in various forms, and there has been an increasing trend worldwide in the use of waterpipe. This study aimed to assess the university students’ attitudes towards waterpipe.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study; 1130 students randomly were selected from universities of Kerman. They were provided with a researcher-made questionnaire after obtaining the informed...

Results Twenty-four studies were eligible for this review. Based on the available evidence, waterpipe tobacco smoking was significantly associated with lung cancer [odds ratio (OR)1⁄4 2.12; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32–3.42], respiratory illness (OR1⁄4 2.3; 95% CI 1.1–5.1), low birth-weight (OR1⁄4 2.12; 95% CI 1.08–4.18) and periodontal disease (OR1⁄4 3–5). It was not significantly associa...

BACKGROUND The prevalence of waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) in the Middle East region and worldwide is increasing. There is evidence to indicate both short term and long term health effects of WTS, resulting in the issuance of an advisory note by the World Health Organization. METHODS This research aimed at gaining an in-depth understanding of the factors contributing to the rise in WTS in L...