Skip to content
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
arts and humanities
Social norms and attitudes linked to waterpipe use in the eastern mediterranean region
Social Science and Medicine, Volume 98, Year 2013
Notification
URL copied to clipboard!
Description
Waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) is on the rise globally, particularly among vulnerable populations such as youth and women. Increasing knowledge about toxicant yield from waterpipe tobacco and deleterious health effects points to the potential for a health epidemic. WTS is often viewed as a safe alternative to cigarette smoking. Though the original objective of the research was to explore the social norms and attitudes that lead to waterpipe being a more acceptable form of tobacco smoking for women than cigarettes in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, the use of a qualitative research methodology resulted in rich data that helped to understand more generally the phenomenon of waterpipe smoking. Both focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews were used. Participants were recruited to represent genders, various age groups, socioeconomic status, waterpipe smoking status, and residents of urban and rural areas. A total of 81 FGDs and 38 in-depth interviews were conducted in 2007. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts. A total of ten themes emerged: socio-cultural norms, gender differences, motivation to smoke, sensory characteristics of waterpipe, metaphors, consumerism, indicators of dependence, comparison between cigarettes and waterpipe, health effect of smoking, and intervention. Results indicated that WTS has socio-cultural dynamics associated with it that are far more pronounced than health considerations. An increased socio-cultural acceptability, the perceived reduced harm and the advent of the fruity Moassel tobacco are among the many reasons for WTS acceptability. Findings point to the need for a unified strategy to address this health issue at all levels of the ecological framework and have important implications for future policy and practice. © 2013.
Authors & Co-Authors
Afifi, Rima A.
Lebanon, Beirut
American University of Beirut
Khalil, Joanna
Lebanon, Beirut
American University of Beirut
Fouad, Fouad Mohammad
Syrian Arab Republic, Aleppo
Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies
Hammal, Fadi
Canada, Edmonton
University of Alberta
Jarallah, Yara
Egypt, Cairo
Egyptian Smoking Prevention Research Institute
Abu Farhat, Hala
Lebanon, Beirut
American University of Beirut
Ayad, Maha
United States, Providence
Brown University
Nakkash, Rima T.
Lebanon, Beirut
American University of Beirut
Statistics
Citations: 88
Authors: 8
Affiliations: 5
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.09.007
ISSN:
02779536
e-ISSN:
18735347
Research Areas
Health System And Policy
Substance Abuse
Study Design
Randomised Control Trial
Study Approach
Qualitative
Participants Gender
Female