title: Women and waterpipe tobacco smoking in the eastern mediterranean region: allure or offensiveness.
abstract: The prevalence of waterpipe tobacco smoking is increasing worldwide, despite evidence indicating its adverse health effects. Women and young people seem more likely to be choosing waterpipe tobacco smoking over cigarettes. The objective of this qualitative study was to understand better whether and why waterpipe smoking is a more acceptable form of tobacco use than cigarettes for women in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and to understand whether the strategies used by multi-national corporations to attract women to cigarette smoking were perceived to be relevant in the context of waterpipe tobacco use. Focus groups (n = 81) and in-depth interviews (n = 38) were conducted with adults in Lebanon, Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. Discussions were thematically analyzed and recurrent themes identified. One of the themes which emerged was the negative image of women smoking waterpipes. Moreover, the sexual allure conveyed through waterpipe smoking as well as waterpipe tobacco smoking as a symbol of emancipation was illustrated. The latter was mainly expressed in Lebanon, in contrast with Egypt where traditional gender roles depict women smoking waterpipes as disrespectful to society. Understanding the social aspects of waterpipe tobacco smoking is crucial to planning future interventions to control waterpipe tobacco smoking among women and in society at large.
authors: Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Joanna
authors: J
authors: Khalil
authors: Rima
authors: R
authors: Afifi
authors: Fouad M
authors: FM
authors: Fouad
authors: Fadi
authors: F
authors: Hammal
authors: Yara
authors: Y
authors: Jarallah
authors: Mostafa
authors: M
authors: Mohamed
authors: Rima
authors: R
authors: Nakkash
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013593:Syria / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult