Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health

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Volume 2, Issue 1, March 2012, Pages 15 - 22

The social context of tobacco products use among adolescents in Lebanon (MedSPAD-Lebanon)

Authors
Naim Bejjani*, naim.bejjani@gmail.com, Charbel El Bcheraouicharbelbcheraoui@yahoo.com, Salim M. Adibsalimadib@hotmail.com
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Saint-Joseph University (USJ), Beirut, Lebanon
*Corresponding author. Address: Bejjani bldg. Jamhour, Beirut, Lebanon. Tel.: +961 3 853699.
Corresponding Author
Received 29 October 2011, Revised 22 January 2012, Accepted 4 February 2012, Available Online 3 April 2012.
DOI
10.1016/j.jegh.2012.02.001How to use a DOI?
Keywords
Cigarettes; Water pipe; Narguileh; Arabs; Addiction
Abstract

Background: Current data from the Middle East suggest a rapid increase in the incidence of smoking water-pipes (narguileh in Lebanon) in parallel with cigarettes. The social context in which these two behaviors are initiated and associated has not been studied.

Methods: Data from a standardized questionnaire to measure the prevalence and practices related to cigarettes and narguileh consumption in a representative sample of 1097 children in grade 9 were extracted and analyzed for elements of the social context in which consumption occurs.

Results and discussion: Among surveyed children (mean age 14.6), 3.9% were “frequent” cigarette smokers (more than nine times ever). Presence of parents and/or siblings who smoke is a key factor for initiation. Narguileh use is a social phenomenon, rarely smoked alone (<4%) with 19% of the surveyed children being “frequent” narguileh smokers (more than nine times ever). Almost half of these students (42%) have all their friends smoking narguileh.

Conclusions: Further analysis confirmed that narguileh use is now an accepted familial and social phenomenon, with restrictions apparently decreasing. These results necessitate drawing strategies to address this public health concern that is becoming more prevalent in Lebanon and elsewhere in the Middle East.

Copyright
© 2012 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Open Access
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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<Previous Article In Issue
Next Article In Issue>
Journal
Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
Volume-Issue
2 - 1
Pages
15 - 22
Publication Date
2012/04/03
ISSN (Online)
2210-6014
ISSN (Print)
2210-6006
DOI
10.1016/j.jegh.2012.02.001How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2012 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Open Access
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Cite this article

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TY  - JOUR
AU  - Naim Bejjani
AU  - Charbel El Bcheraoui
AU  - Salim M. Adib
PY  - 2012
DA  - 2012/04/03
TI  - The social context of tobacco products use among adolescents in Lebanon (MedSPAD-Lebanon)
JO  - Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
SP  - 15
EP  - 22
VL  - 2
IS  - 1
SN  - 2210-6014
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jegh.2012.02.001
DO  - 10.1016/j.jegh.2012.02.001
ID  - Bejjani2012
ER  -