Prevalence, Patterns and Correlates of Cigarette Smoking in Male Adolescents in Northern Jordan, and the Influence of Waterpipe Use and Asthma Diagnosis: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Our study investigates the prevalence, patterns and predictors of tobacco smoking among early adolescent males in Northern Jordan and whether asthma diagnosis affects smoking patterns. A descriptive cross sectional design was used. Males in grades 7 and 8 from four randomly selected high schools in the city of Irbid were enrolled. Data on waterpipe (WP) use and cigarette smoking patterns were obtained (n = 815) using a survey in Arabic language. The overall prevalence of ever having smoked a cigarette was 35.6%, with 86.2% of this group smoking currently. Almost half of the sample reported WP use. The most common age in which adolescents started to experiment with cigarettes was 11–12 years old (49.1%), although 10 years was also common (25.3%). Significant predictors of male cigarette smoking were WP use (OR = 4.15, 95% CI = 2.99–5.76), asthma diagnosis (OR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.46–3.78), grade 8 (OR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.10–2.11), and having a sibling who smokes (OR = 2.23, 95% CI = 1.53–3.24). However, this cross-sectional study cannot establish causality, thus longitudinal studies are needed. Public health programs and school-based anti-tobacco smoking interventions that target children in early years at high schools are warranted to prevent the uptake of tobacco use among this vulnerable age group. High school students with asthma should be specifically targeted.

Brain‐derived neutrophic factor in adolescents smoking waterpipe: The Irbid TRY

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Geographic variations in the predictors of asthma, wheeze, and dry nocturnal cough among adolescents from the United Arab Emirates

“…In terms of individual responses and behaviors, our study suggests that current or exposure to smoking is associated with respiratory health for most UAE regions. This is not surprising, given that exposure to environmental tobacco is a wellrecognized risk factor of asthma and respiratory symptoms (Al-Sheyab et al, 2014;Mcleish and Zvolensky, 2010). These findings highlight the importance of reducing tobacco usage among all adolescents in the UAE.…”

“…Individual behavior choices are also important in determining respiratory health, influencing the risk of developing asthma and respiratory conditions. Indeed, research show significant associations between tobacco use and asthma diagnosis (Al-Sheyab et al, 2014;Mcleish and Zvolensky, 2010). Health determinants that relate to many diseases are place-specific.…”

The effect of genetic variations in the choline acetyltransferase gene (ChAT) on waterpipe tobacco smoking dependence

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