Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Health Promotion Service, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.
BMC Public Health. 2018 Dec 17;18(1):1379. doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-6270-3.
Waterpipe smoking is a traditional method of tobacco smoking that is being increasingly practiced worldwide. However, the research evidence describing the practice and prevalence of waterpipe smoking in Australia is limited. Arabic-speaking communities residing in an area of metropolitan Sydney identified increasing rates of waterpipe smoking as a community health concern during a tobacco intervention project. A qualitative research project was conducted to explore community perceptions about waterpipe smoking and the health promotion interventions that would be acceptable to Arabic speaking communities.
Participants from Arabic-speaking community groups and networks were recruited by trained bilingual community research assistants (BCRAs). Ten focus groups were conducted, eight by the BCRAs and two by the research team, and included a total of 88 participants. Notes were taken during the focus groups by the BCRAs and provided to the research team. The data was coded and managed using NVivo 11, and examined for themes and subthemes.
Eleven themes were identified from the data relating to the perceptions of waterpipe smoking (practices, cultural identity, acceptability, social connectedness, knowledge and perceptions of harm, trend and fashion, availability and access) and possible health promotion interventions (health information and social marketing, health education, policy and legislation, intervention target groups and messages). Waterpipe smoking was reported to be widely practiced and was related to a number of factors including feelings of cultural identity and belonging. The study highlighted the misconceptions of harm that exist in communities about the health effects of waterpipe smoking, as well as the significant role of the family in passing on the practice of waterpipe smoking. These factors should be considered in the development of health promotion interventions.
Our findings suggest that until waterpipe smoking is perceived as a problem, community readiness for accepting health promotion interventions will be limited. Interventions should focus on debunking the myths that contribute toward a reduced perception of harm. A culturally sensitive approach, that considers the cultural connection to waterpipe smoking, should be taken toward the development and implementation of interventions.
水烟是一种传统的吸烟方式，在全球范围内的吸烟人群中越来越流行。然而，在澳大利亚，描述水烟吸烟行为和流行率的研究证据有限。在一个位于悉尼大都市区的阿拉伯裔社区，一个烟草干预项目发现水烟吸烟率不断上升，成为社区健康关注的问题。为了探索社区对水烟吸烟的看法，以及阿拉伯裔社区可以接受的健康促进干预措施，开展了一项定性研究项目。
通过受过双语社区研究助理（BCRA）培训的人员，招募来自阿拉伯裔社区团体和网络的参与者。共进行了 10 次焦点小组讨论，其中 8 次由 BCRAs 主持，2 次由研究团队主持，共有 88 名参与者参加。BCRAs 在焦点小组讨论期间做了笔记，并提供给研究团队。使用 NVivo 11 对数据进行编码和管理，并对主题和子主题进行了检查。
从与水烟吸烟的看法（实践、文化认同、可接受性、社会联系、对危害的认识和看法、趋势和时尚、可获得性和可及性）以及可能的健康促进干预措施（健康信息和社会营销、健康教育、政策和立法、干预目标群体和信息）相关的数据中确定了 11 个主题。水烟吸烟被广泛报道，与包括文化认同和归属感在内的多种因素有关。研究强调了社区中对水烟吸烟健康影响的误解，以及家庭在传承水烟吸烟习惯方面的重要作用。这些因素应在制定健康促进干预措施时加以考虑。
我们的研究结果表明，除非水烟吸烟被视为一个问题，否则社区对接受健康促进干预措施的准备程度将受到限制。干预措施应重点消除导致对危害的认识减少的误解。应采取一种文化敏感的方法，考虑到与水烟吸烟的文化联系，以制定和实施干预措施。
