Al-Tabakha Moawia M, Alomar Muaed J, Awad Mariam N G, Fahelelbom Khairi M S
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman, UAE.
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman, UAE.
J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2019 Jul-Sep;11(3):276-283. doi: 10.4103/jpbs.JPBS_30_19.
Tobacco use is the major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality. The main objectives of this study were to identify smokers willing to participate in quit smoking campaigns using social media and to identify smoking habits of everyday smokers in Al Ain City, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Everyday smokers from Al Ain city of the UAE were surveyed in different locations of the city including malls and specialized tobacco-selling shops. They were interviewed using a semi-structured survey and the information was recorded by one assessor. The information gathered included type and frequency of tobacco use, smoking history and habits, quitting history, desire to quit, and the preferred communication platform.
A total of 412 regular adult smokers were interviewed in which the majority (95%) reported first smoking at or before the age of 28 years. Participants were mainly UAE nationals (33.7%), Egyptians (14.1%), Syrians (12.9%), and Jordanians (10.9%). Manufactured cigarettes were the main form of tobacco consumption (59.5%), and smoking was mainly solitary (56.3%) and at home (26.3%) and coffee shops (24.9%). The majority of interviewed subjects (76.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 72.4%-80.5%) expressed their interest to quit smoking in the future and 55.3% (95% CI: 50.5%-60.2%) were ready to get involved immediately in a smoking cessation program. Of those, 80.3% (95% CI: 74.6%-84.9%) preferred WhatsApp for receiving smoking cessation motivational education.
The majority of smokers started at younger ages, which warrant the age of smoking restriction to be raised to 29 years instead of 18 years by the health authority. Everyday smokers were aware of the potentially hazardous effects of tobacco smoking and many were willing to accept help to quit smoking that involves the use of WhatsApp.
烟草使用是可预防的发病和死亡的主要原因。本研究的主要目的是识别愿意参与使用社交媒体的戒烟活动的吸烟者，并确定阿拉伯联合酋长国（阿联酋）艾因市日常吸烟者的吸烟习惯。
对阿联酋艾因市的日常吸烟者在该市不同地点进行了调查，包括商场和专门的烟草销售店。使用半结构化调查问卷对他们进行访谈，并由一名评估员记录信息。收集的信息包括烟草使用的类型和频率、吸烟史和习惯、戒烟史、戒烟意愿以及首选的交流平台。
共采访了412名成年经常吸烟者，其中大多数（95%）报告在28岁及以前开始吸烟。参与者主要是阿联酋国民（33.7%）、埃及人（14.1%）、叙利亚人（12.9%）和约旦人（10.9%）。机制卷烟是烟草消费的主要形式（59.5%），吸烟主要是独自进行（56.3%），在家中（26.3%）和咖啡店（24.9%）。大多数受访对象（76.7%；95%置信区间[CI]：72.4%-80.5%）表示有未来戒烟的意愿，55.3%（95%CI：50.5%-60.2%）准备立即参与戒烟计划。其中，80.3%（95%CI：74.6%-84.9%）更喜欢通过WhatsApp接受戒烟动机教育。
大多数吸烟者在较年轻时开始吸烟，这表明卫生当局应将吸烟限制年龄提高到29岁而不是18岁。日常吸烟者意识到吸烟的潜在危害，许多人愿意接受使用WhatsApp的戒烟帮助。
