National prevalence, perceptions, and determinants of tobacco consumption in Saudi Arabia

Algabbani, Aljoharah; Althumiri, Nora A; Almarshad, Abdulrahman; BinDhim, Nasser F

doi:10.32868/rsj.v2i2.33

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Most e-cigarette users assume e-cigarettes are safer than combustible cigarettes, which is the primary reason for the widespread e-cigarette use [ 1 – 3 ]. According to the 2019 Saudi National Survey, the national prevalence of using e-cigarettes was 2.2% among adults [ 11 ]. However, adult smokers who want to reduce or quit combustible cigarettes increasingly turn to e-cigarettes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Prevalence of Electronic Cigarette Use Among College Students of Taibah University and Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease

Alzahrani,

Alhazmi,

Alharbi

et al. 2023

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

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Background Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have been increasing in popularity among young adults due to the misconception about the safety of e-cigarettes. Our study aims to identify the prevalence rate of e-cigarette use among college students, the reason behind their use, and the relationship between the use of electronic cigarettes and cardiovascular symptoms among college students. Methods An online questionnaire was sent to students of Taibah University between 2021 and 2022. Data from this survey were analyzed to obtain the prevalence of e-cigarette use among Taibah University students and to compare the demographic and health characteristics differences between e-cigarette users and non-users. The prevalence of cardiovascular symptoms was also compared between the two groups. Results A total of 519 students participated in this study. The prevalence rate of e-cigarette use was 24%. Compared to non-users, e-cigarette users were more likely to be male (71% vs. 40%, p < 0.01), overweight (44% vs. 32%, p = 0.01), and drug users (4% vs. 1%, p = 0.01). E-cigarette users were likelier to complain of cardiovascular symptoms, including chest pain (19% vs. 10%, p = 0.01), shortness of breath (14% vs. 7%, p = 0.02), and palpitation (12% vs. 6%, p = 0.03). The association between e-cigarette use and cardiovascular symptoms was significant even after adjusting for students’ characteristics. Students’ main reasons for e-cigarette use were to enjoy the flavors of e-cigarettes, quit tobacco smoking, and improve depression. Conclusion The prevalence rate of e-cigarette use among college students was 24%. The self-reported cardiovascular disease symptoms rate was doubled among e-cigarette users compared to non-users.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Prevalence of Electronic Cigarette Use Among College Students of Taibah University and Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease

Alzahrani,

Alhazmi,

Alharbi

et al. 2023

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

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“…Currently, in Saudi Arabia, the only way to generate a random national-level sample is via a household survey, which also has some significant limitations due to sociocultural factors and was not possible during periods of COVID-19 restrictions. However, the recruitment and sampling methods used in this research project have been used successfully in many national projects in Saudi Arabia [ 32 , 33 , 34 ]. Another point that may represent a limitation in relation to the HFIAS use in this study is that some of the participants may not be the head of the household, however, according to the national authority of statistics in Saudi Arabia, the method nationally adopted of direct contact with the household specifies that it can be through direct contact with the head of the household or any adult member of the household who is familiar with the household affairs [ 35 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Food Waste, Food Insecurity, and the Gap between the Two: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia

Althumiri

Basyouni

Duhaim

et al. 2021

Foods

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Background: Food waste and food insecurity may co-exist in various balances in developing and developed countries. This study aimed to explore the levels of food waste and food insecurity, the factors associated with them, and their relationships at the household and individual levels in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study was a nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted via computer-assisted phone interviews in January 2021. Quota sampling was utilized to generate balanced distributions of participants by gender across all the administrative regions of Saudi Arabia. Data collection included household demographics, food waste and disposal, the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), and the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Results: Out of the 2807 potential participants contacted, 2454 (87.4%) completed the interview. The mean age was 31.4 (SD = 11.7; range = 18–99) and 50.1% were female. The weighted prevalence of uncooked food waste in the last four weeks was 63.6% and the cooked food waste was 74.4%. However, the food insecurity weighted prevalence at the individual level (FIES) was 6.8%. In terms of food insecurity at the household level (HFIAS), 13.3% were in the “severely food insecure” category. Moreover, this study found that “moderately food insecure” households were associated with an increased likelihood to waste uncooked food (relative risk (RR) = 1.25), and the “mildly food insecure” (RR = 1.21) and “moderately food insecure” (RR = 1.17) households were associated with an increased likelihood to waste cooked food. However, “food secure” households were associated with a decreased likelihood to waste cooked food (RR = 0.56). Finally, this study identified four household factors associated with food waste and three household factors that were associated with “severe food insecurity.” Conclusions: This first national coverage study to explore food waste and food insecurity at the individual level and household level, identified household factors associated with food waste and food insecurity and identified new associations between food waste and food insecurity in Saudi Arabia. The associations found between food waste and food insecurity are potential areas of intervention to reduce both food waste and food insecurity at the same time, toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets related to food waste and food security.

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“…No alarming findings emerged related to immediate cough or shortness of breath. Most of the study participants were men, because the prevalence of women smokers is very low (1.5%) compared to men smokers (26.2%) in Saudi Arabia [ 1 , 2 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reporting of Differences in Taste Between Branded and Unbranded Cigarettes by Smokers Blinded to Cigarette Branding: Within-Person, Randomized Crossover Study

BinDhim¹,

Althumiri²,

Basyouni³

et al. 2021

JMIR Form Res

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Background Saudi Arabia implemented a plain tobacco packaging regulation, one of the World Health Organization’s recommended initiatives to help reduce smoking rates, in August 2019. A few weeks after implementation, a large number of smokers complained via various media channels, especially social media (eg, Twitter), that an extreme change in cigarette taste had occurred, frequency of coughing had increased, and for some, shortness of breath had led to hospitalization. Objective The main objective is to determine whether smokers blinded to cigarette branding report differences in taste between branded and unbranded cigarettes. The secondary objective is to observe the frequency of immediate cough or shortness of breath. Methods This study employed a within-person, randomized crossover design that recruited current smokers 18 years and older who were cleared upon physical assessment before the experiment. Participants received 6 sequences of different random exposures (3 puffs) to 3 plain-packaged cigarettes (2 from their favorite brand and 1 from another brand as a control) and 3 branded cigarettes (2 from the favorite brand and 1 from another brand as a control). Participants wore virtual reality goggles accompanied by special software to alter visual reality and gloves to alter the touch sensation. Results This study recruited 18 participants, measured at 6 time points, to produce 108 experiments. Participants were not able to identify the correct type of cigarettes (plain or branded, estimate of fixed effect=−0.01, P=.79). Moreover, there were no differences in the ability of the participants to identify their favorite brand (t107=−0.63, mean 0.47, P=.53). In terms of immediate coughing, out of the 108 experiments, 1 episode of short coughing was observed, which was attributed to the branded cigarette, not the plain-packaged cigarette. Conclusions After controlling the visual and touch sensations, participants were not able to differentiate between branded and plain-packaged cigarettes in terms of taste or inducing immediate shortness of breath or cough. Interestingly, participants were not able to identify their favorite brand.

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National prevalence, perceptions, and determinants of tobacco consumption in Saudi Arabia

Cited by 7 publications

References 0 publications

The Prevalence of Electronic Cigarette Use Among College Students of Taibah University and Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease

The Prevalence of Electronic Cigarette Use Among College Students of Taibah University and Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease

Understanding Food Waste, Food Insecurity, and the Gap between the Two: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia

Reporting of Differences in Taste Between Branded and Unbranded Cigarettes by Smokers Blinded to Cigarette Branding: Within-Person, Randomized Crossover Study

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