The prevalence and associated factors of shisha use among smokers attending three primary healthcare centers in Qatar, 2020

INTRODUCTION: Smoking is one of the most serious health issues. One form of tobacco use, shisha, is prevalent in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. There is a misconception among smokers that waterpipe use poses no harm to human health. In Qatar, the Global Adult Tobacco Survey in 2013 has shown that 3.4% of adults in the country were current waterpipe users. Nevertheless, there remains a scarcity of data on the knowledge and practice of shisha smokers in Qatar. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study across three primary healthcare (PHC) centers in Qatar between September and December 2020. A convenient sampling technique was employed to enroll participants. Upon consent, an interview was conducted to collect data from adult smokers (aged ≥18 years). Descriptive and analytic statistics were used when appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 281 individuals participated in this study. Nearly half (48.8%) were current shisha users and almost three-quarters (72.9%) had inadequate knowledge in this regard. In addition, only one-fifth (19.5%) of participants attended smoking cessation clinics at the primary healthcare centers and a quarter (25%) of the respondents managed to quit smoking before relapsing. A significant association was found between the shisha knowledge of participants and their nationality (Qatari), employment status (unemployed), smoking status (current smoker), and duration of smoking. CONCLUSIONS: The study results convey a high prevalence of shisha use (47.8%), inadequate shisha knowledge (72.9%), and lack of awareness about available smoking cessation services (46.6%) among the participants. Further research is recommended to generate evidence on the determinants of shisha use and knowledge among the attendees of primary healthcare centers in Qatar.