Smoking behavior, knowledge, attitude, and practice among patients attending primary healthcare clinics in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco smoking is one of the largest and highly preventable public health threats worldwide. In the United Arab Emirates, around 15.7% adult males and 2.4% adult females are current tobacco smokers. Primary healthcare clinics (PHCs) have an important role in battling the smoking epidemic by raising awareness among patients attending them daily. The aim of our study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding smoking among patients attending PHCs. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on patients attending primary healthcare clinics in Dubai. Data was collected using a pretested self-administered questionnaire developed by the researchers and was adopted from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey. RESULTS: Among a total of 500 patients, around 66.4% were never smokers, 23.6% were current smokers, and 10.0% were ex-smokers. The age of first time smoking among current smokers was the highest between 18 and 19 years, with friends being the source of first attempt of smoking (53.4%). Around 53.4% of the current smokers had poor knowledge, while most of never and ex-smokers had a good knowledge level (47.9%, 70.0%), respectively (P value for both <0.05). Majority (71.2%) of current smokers had negative attitude toward anti-smoking statements, while never and ex-smokers had a positive attitude (54.5% and 58.0%), respectively (P value <0.05). CONCLUSION: The majority of never and ex-smokers had good knowledge level and positive attitude toward anti-smoking statements; however, poor knowledge level and negative attitude was found more among current smokers.