Opioid use disorder in two samples of the Lebanese population: scale validation and correlation with sleep and mood disorders.

BACKGROUND: The revised Opioid Risk Tool (ORT-OUD) is a brief, self-report scale designed to provide clinicians with a simple, validated method to screen for the risk of developing an Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in patients without a prior history of substance abuse. This study aimed to translate and validate the Arabic version of ORT-OUD in the Lebanese population and assess its clinical validity in a sample of patients with OUD. METHODS: This cross-sectional study in the Lebanese population used several validated scales to assess the risk of OUD, including the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). Other tools evaluated chronotype and sleep and mood disturbances. Principal component analysis with Varimax rotation was applied to assess ORT-OUD construct validity. Convergent validity with the Arabic version of ASSIST was evaluated. The ORT-OUD criterion validity was then assessed in a clinical sample of patients with OUD. RESULTS: This study included 581 participants. The prevalence of the OUD risk in the Lebanese population using the ORT-OUD scale and the ASSIST-opioids scale was estimated at 14.5% and 6.54%, respectively. No items of the ORT-OUD were removed; all items converged over a solution of four factors with an eigenvalue > 1, explaining a total of 68.2% of the variance (Cronbach's alpha = 0.648). The correlation coefficients between the ORT-OUD total score and ASSIST subscales were as follows: ASSIST-opioids (r = 0.174; p = < 0.001), ASSIST-sedatives (r = 0.249; p < 0.001), and ASSIST-alcohol (r = 0.161; p = < 0.001). ORT-OUD clinical validation showed a correlation with ASSIST-opioids (r = 0.251; p = 0.093) and ASSIST-sedatives (r = 0.598; p < 0.001). Higher ORT-OUD scores were associated with a family and personal history of alcohol and substance consumption and higher insomnia and anxiety scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to validate the Arabic version of ORT-OUD in the Lebanese population, an essential step towards improving the detection and management of OUD in this population.

Association between alexithymia, emotional intelligence, smoking addiction, and alcohol use disorder among a sample of Lebanese adults.

BACKGROUND: Alexithymia can be associated with worse addictive traits, while emotional intelligence is associated with better addictive outcomes. In Lebanon, the prevalence of cigarette and waterpipe smoking is on the rise, although people are aware of the associated harms. Also, around 11% of Lebanese adults have experienced alcohol use disorder (AUD). This study aimed to assess the association between alexithymia, emotional intelligence, smoking (cigarette and waterpipe), and AUD among a sample of Lebanese adults. METHODS: A web-based cross-sectional study carried out between February and April 2020, during the lockdown period, enrolled 408 community-dwelling adults. The survey link was shared on social media to reach participants from all Lebanese districts/governorates. RESULTS: Taking antidepressants (Beta = 4.37) was significantly associated with more cigarette dependence, while female gender (Beta = -1.52) and having a high vs. low monthly income (Beta = 1.02) were significantly associated with less cigarette dependence. None of the variables, including alexithymia, were significantly associated with waterpipe dependence. Female gender (Beta = -0.15) and higher emotional intelligence (Beta = -0.003) were significantly associated with less AUD, whereas higher alexithymia (Beta = 0.003) was significantly associated with more AUD. CONCLUSION: This study could demonstrate a significant association between alexithymia and cigarette smoking and alexithymia and alcohol consumption. Future research is warranted to investigate the mediating effect of emotional intelligence and how these results may be used to meet the needs of alexithymic individuals with addictions.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of the General Population toward the Old-New Outbreak of Cholera in a Developing Country.

Background: In October 2022, the first case of cholera since 1993 was recorded in Lebanon. This study aimed to develop and validate a tool to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward cholera infection and its prevention among the general population in Lebanon and identify the associated factors related to the KAP assessment to guide prevention and awareness strategies. The nation's already precarious healthcare system might become overwhelmed by the response to the cholera outbreak. Therefore, evaluating the level of cholera-related KAP among the Lebanese population is crucial since it directly affects the disease's treatment, control, and prevention. Methods: This online cross-sectional study was carried out between October and November 2022 during the cholera outbreak in Lebanon. Snowball sampling was used to recruit 448 adults living in Lebanon. Results: The suggested KAP scales had adequate structural and convergent validity and were internally consistent. The disease knowledge was inversely associated with the reluctance to receive educational information (ß = -1.58) and cigarette smoking (ß = -1.31) but positively associated with the female gender (ß = 1.74) and awareness of vaccine availability and efficacy (ß = 1.34). For attitude, healthcare professionals were less frightened than others (ß = 2.69). Better practices were related to better knowledge (ß = 0.43), while inadequate practices were associated with getting information from social media (ß = -2.47). Conclusions: This study could identify notable gaps in the knowledge, attitudes, and practices, which varied according to participant characteristics. Cholera incidence can be reduced by improved community education and training, increased access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene amenities, and changes in behavior. These findings warrant additional actions by public health stakeholders and governmental authorities to promote better practices and curb disease transmission.

Psychometric properties of the 37-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) scale.

Aim: To validate the French version of the 37-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function, including the four items related to multitasking, previously excluded from the scoring algorithm. Materials & methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 261 cancer patients. Validity was confirmed by factor analyses using the principal component analysis technique. Results: Construct validity was demonstrated, and items loaded on subscales with adequate sample adequacy to factor analyses outcomes. Better cognitive functioning was noted with age and in working patients, whereas lower functioning was observed in metastatic patients. Conclusion: The 37-item French tool is valid and reliable; questions related to multitasking could be included in the score.

A study was carried out among 261 cancer patients to evaluate their cognitive function using the French version of a 37-item validated scale. Our results demonstrated that the tool is valid and reliable. Better cognition was noted in older patients compared with younger ones, and lower cognitive functioning was observed in patients with metastatic cancer. This newly validated tool could help clinicians assess cognition in their routine practice.

Clinical and genetic factors associated with self-reported cognitive deficits in women with breast cancer: the "CAGE-Cog" study.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment are at particular risk of experiencing acute cognitive impairment leading to daily challenges in decision-making and reduced quality of life and functional autonomy. The aim was to assess the relationship between clinical and genetic factors and cognitive function in a sample of patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out between November 2017 and June 2019 on women (N = 112) treated for breast cancer by intravenous chemotherapy at the oncology outpatient unit of Hôtel-Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut. Patients were evaluated with the 37-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog). Other validated scales were also used to assess depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, pain, and fatigue. DNA was obtained by a buccal swab (FTA®technology) for genotyping of different genes (ABCB1, COMT, DRD2, OPRM1, CLOCK, CRY2, and PER2) using the Lightcycler®(Roche). RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 56.04 years. Multivariable analysis, taking the four FACT-Cog subscores as the dependent variables, showed that the mean cognitive score decreased with higher depression, anxiety, and insomnia scores. Patients with university education levels had better perceived cognitive abilities than those with primary education. Moreover, carrying the G allele for the OPRM1 polymorphism (c.118A > G;rs197791) was significantly associated with a better cognitive function compared to AA patients (B = 2.05; p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive oncological care plan should include a personalized assessment of all factors related to cognitive functioning in cancer patients, particularly anxiety and depression, to achieve an optimal patient outcome.

Fatigue in breast cancer patients on chemotherapy: a cross-sectional study exploring clinical, biological, and genetic factors.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common and distressing complaints reported by cancer patients during chemotherapy considerably impacting all aspects of a patient's life (physical, psychosocial, professional, and socioeconomic). The aim of this study was to assess the severity of cancer-related fatigue in a group of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and explore the association between fatigue scores and sociodemographic, clinical, biological, psychiatric, and genetic factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional pilot study carried out at the oncology outpatient unit of Hôtel-Dieu de France University Hospital recruited 67 breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy between November 2017 and June 2019 to evaluate fatigue using the EORTC QLQ-C30 scale (European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire). Genotyping for seven gene polymorphisms (COMT, DRD2, OPRM1, CLOCK, PER2, CRY2, ABCB1) was performed using the Lightcycler® (Roche). RESULTS: The prevalence of fatigue was 46.3%. Multivariable analysis taking the fatigue score as the dependent variable showed that a higher number of cycles and a lower hemoglobin level were significantly associated with higher odds of exhibiting fatigue. Moreover, having at least one C allele for DRD2 SNP (vs. TT) was significantly associated with a 4.09 higher odds of expressing fatigue compared to TT patients. Finally, patients with at least one C allele for CLOCK SNP tended to display higher fatigue levels than TT patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that anemic breast cancer patients with a high number of chemotherapy cycles and those carrying at least one C allele for DRD2 and CLOCK SNPs are at greater risk of exhibiting fatigue. Since no previous research has reported such genetic results, future studies are necessary to confirm our findings.

Factors associated with the onset of smoking and alcohol consumption: A cross-sectional study among Lebanese adolescents in schools.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate factors and profiles associated with the earlier onset of cigarette/waterpipe smoking and alcohol consumption among Lebanese adolescents in schools. METHODS: A total of 4000 adolescents (mean age = 15.31 ± 2.01 years) participated in this cross-sectional study. The standardized questionnaire was taken from the Health Behavior in School Children (HBSC) study in different countries (France, Belgium, and the USA) and adjusted to the Lebanese population. K-means clustering analysis was conducted to classify participants into three clusters according to their patterns (surrounded by smokers, surrounded by drinkers, and ease of talking to family members and friends) and Cox regression analyzes were conducted. RESULTS: Participants were divided into three clusters. Cluster 1 (16.75% of participants) included adolescents with the lowest ease of talking to a family member or friend, with the latter smoking and drinking a lot (worst cluster). Cluster 2 (54.95%) included adolescents with moderate ease of talking to a family member and more to friends, surrounded by low-to-moderate smoking and alcohol consumption, particularly for a best friend (positive influence cluster). Finally, cluster 3 (28.30%) included adolescents with low ease of talking to friends, moderate ease of talking to a family member, and low-to-moderate smoking and alcohol consumption (low influence cluster). The results of the Cox regressions (taking the age at onset of smoking cigarettes and waterpipes as the dependent variables) showed that older age at onset of cigarette and waterpipe smoking was significantly associated with female participants and those belonging to clusters 2 and 3 compared to cluster 1. Moreover, a younger age at first alcohol use and getting drunk was significantly associated with living outside Beirut, whereas female gender and belonging to clusters 2 or 3 compared to cluster 1 were significantly associated with older age at first alcohol use and getting drunk. CONCLUSION: This study identified risk factors (ease of talking as well as smoking and alcohol-drinking status of parents, siblings, and friends) and profiles related to early alcohol and cigarette/waterpipe use. These risk factors and profiles could help implement prevention campaigns to reduce substance use and improve adolescent health.

School Bullying-The Silent Epidemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of Factors Associated With Peer Victimization Among Lebanese Adolescents.

The objective of this study was to evaluate bullying at school and identify the factors associated with it among a sample of Lebanese school adolescents. A cross-sectional study was carried out between April 2014 and June 2014, using a convenient sampling of Lebanese students in private schools from Beirut and Mount Lebanon. The results showed that 712 (18.1%) adolescents had been bullied in the past 2 months (95% CI [0.169, 0.192]). A backward logistic regression, taking "being bullied in the last 2 months" as a dependent variable, showed significantly lower odds of being bullied in the last 2 months in those who find it easy (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] = 0.434) and very easy (aOR = 0.391) to talk to their father, and having some close male or female friends compared with none. Furthermore, significantly higher odds of being bullied were found among males compared with females (aOR = 0.664), having a best friend who smokes sometimes compared with never (aOR = 1.389), and a father who drinks everyday compared with never (aOR = 1.621). This study was able to shed light on a problem that sometimes goes silent in schools and has a negative impact on the mental health of teenagers. Indeed, the results of our study showed that peer victimization was closely linked to clinically relevant mental health issues. In addition, factors such as parental and peer support could protect against the negative effects of bullying.

Factors associated with sexual intercourse initiation: a retrospective cohort of Lebanese adolescents in schools.

OBJECTIVES: Early sexual initiation is known to be associated with deleterious health outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate factors (bullying, weight status, smoking and alcohol consumption, peer influence, relations with parents) associated with the initiation of sexual intercourse among Lebanese adolescents in schools. METHODS: A retrospective cohort was formed using a convenient sampling of Lebanese students (n=1635) in private schools from Beirut and Mount Lebanon. RESULTS: Younger age of adolescents at first sexual intercourse was significantly associated with finding it very easy to talk about things that worry them with an older brother, having a best friend who drinks sometimes compared to no drinking, and a best friend who smokes sometimes or every day compared to not smoking. Moreover, older age at the first sexual relationship was significantly associated with female gender (HRa=0.25), as was older age at first time drinking alcohol, first time getting drunk, and smoking cigarettes. CONCLUSION: This study sheds light on some of the factors associated with age at first sexual intercourse in Lebanese adolescents.

Lebanese Waterpipe Dependence Scale (LWDS-11) validation in a sample of Lebanese adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Salameh et al. developed the Lebanese Waterpipe Dependence Scale (LWDS-11) that assesses nicotine dependence among adult waterpipe smokers. In view of the high waterpipe use among Lebanese youth and other neighboring countries, it was deemed necessary to check the psychometric properties of the LWDS-11, originally adapted to the Lebanese population, to measure nicotine dependence among adolescents. METHODS: Two cross-sectional investigations were conducted; Study 1 (January and May 2019) enrolled a total of 449 students who were exclusive waterpipe smokers; this sample was used to conduct the exploratory factor analysis. Study 2 enrolled another sample composed of 243 waterpipe smoking adolescents. This sample was independent from the first one and was used to conduct the confirmatory analysis. RESULTS: The results also showed that 312 (69.5%) [95% CI 0.652-0.738] had high waterpipe dependence (scores of ≥10). Results of the factor analysis in sample 1 showed that all LWDS-11 items were extracted following the factor analysis. Items converged over a solution of one factor; total variance explained = 70.45%, αCronbach = 0.96). The results of the confirmatory factor analysis were as follows: the Maximum Likelihood Chi-Square = 129.58 and Degrees of Freedom = 45, which gave a χ2/df = 2.88. For non-centrality fit indices, the Steiger-Lind Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) was 0.08 [0.071-0.106]. Moreover, the Comparative Fit Index (CFI) value was 0.77. CONCLUSION: The preliminary results suggest that the LWDS-11 has good psychometric properties to measure waterpipe dependence among adolescents. We hope this tool would serve the benefit of research and epidemiology.

Association between cumulative cigarette and Waterpipe smoking and symptoms of dependence in Lebanese adults.

BACKGROUND: Waterpipe and cigarette smoking dependence are becoming increasingly prevalent forms of addiction globally. This study examined whether cumulative cigarette smoking and cumulative waterpipe smoking are associated with higher dependence on both cigarettes and waterpipe. METHODS: This cross-sectional study conducted between February and April 2020, enrolled 363 participants drawn from all Lebanese districts. The mean age was 29.51 years, 64.8% were females, and 124 (34.2%) exclusive cigarette smokers, 189 (52.1%) exclusive waterpipe smokers, and 50 (13.8%) dual smokers (waterpipe and cigarette). We used the Hooked on Nicotine Checklist (HONC) as an indicator of decreased autonomy towards nicotine, in addition to the Lebanon Waterpipe Dependence Scale-11 (LWDS11) and the Lebanese Cigarette Dependence scale (LCD). A stepwise linear regression was performed taking the HONC scores due to cigarette and waterpipe smoking, LCD and LWDS-11 scores as dependent variables. RESULTS: The results showed that in the total sample, higher cumulative cigarette smoking (B = 0.005 with a confidence interval of 0.004, 0.006) was significantly associated with higher HONC cigarette scores, whereas higher cumulative waterpipe smoking (B = -0.006 with a confidence interval of - 0.009, - 0.002) was significantly associated with lower HONC cigarette scores. Moreover, higher cumulative waterpipe smoking (B = 0.012 with a confidence interval of 0.009,0.015) was significantly associated with higher HONC waterpipe scores. The results showed that, in both sexes, higher cumulative cigarette smoking was associated with higher HONC cigarette scores and lower HONC waterpipe scores. Furthermore, higher cumulative waterpipe smoking was significantly associated with higher HONC waterpipe scores in both sexes. CONCLUSION: Our study supports the fact that heavy nicotine consumption, related to both the increased frequency and smoking duration, can increase the risk of dependence. It raises the need for strategic plans to minimize and discourage the use of nicotine products in Lebanese community settings.

The relation of orthorexia with lifestyle habits: Arabic versions of the Eating Habits Questionnaire and the Dusseldorf Orthorexia Scale.

BACKGROUND: Some of the commonly used tools to assess orthorexia nervosa (OrNe) do not allow a meaningful interpretation of the scores or yield mixed results about the dimensions needed to represent orthorexia. Since no advancement in the theoretical knowledge can be made without a thorough examination of the measurement aspects, this study aimed to evaluate the correlation between orthorexia nervosa (OrNe) and lifestyle habits, notably alcohol drinking, cigarette and waterpipe smoking, and physical exercise, and to validate and assess the psychometric properties of the Arabic versions of the Eating Habits Questionnaire (EHQ) and Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale (DOS). METHODS: A total of 456 adult participants completed a self-administered questionnaire. Exploratory structural equation models were used to test the internal structure of the instruments. Shorter and more explicit versions were proposed for instruments. Pearson and partial correlations were computed between orthorexia scores and healthy behaviors scores. RESULTS: Regarding the internal structure of both EHQ and DOS, evidence favored the bi-dimensional construct of orthorexia. Both tools presented two theoretically clearly interpretable factors (OrNe and Healthy Orthorexia-HeOr-). The two questionnaires presented a high convergent validity, as dimensions with the same interpretation were correlated around 0.80. While OrNe was positively correlated with the use of unhealthy substances (higher alcohol use disorder, cigarette, and waterpipe dependence), HeOr was negatively associated with these behaviors. CONCLUSION: Our results emphasize the idea that further attention should be paid to the multidimensional structure of orthorexia, as OrNe and HeOr present an opposite pattern of associations with healthy behaviors. An OrNe etiopathogenesis common to eating disorders can explain these differences.

The term "orthorexia nervosa" (OrNe) denotes a possible pathological fixation on a health-conscious diet. Some of the commonly used tools to assess orthorexia nervosa (OrNe) do not allow a meaningful interpretation of the scores or yield mixed results about the dimensions needed to represent orthorexia. In this study, some items were simultaneously tapping both dimensions of orthorexic tendencies, and shorter versions of the DOS and EHQ scales were proposed to offer instruments with a more explicit structure. The final versions still presented high reliabilities. While HeOr was negatively associated with the consumption of unhealthy substances (higher alcohol use disorder, cigarette, and waterpipe dependence), OrNe was positively correlated with these behaviors. After controlling for OrNe or HeOr (partial correlations), the associations were even higher; the pattern of associations was more explicit, showing the importance of considering the multidimensional structure of orthorexia.

Factors associated with problematic internet use among a large sample of Lebanese adolescents.

BACKGROUND: International literature clearly describes factors associated with problematic internet use, including substance dependence, online gambling, social impairment, and functional difficulties. Therefore, it was imperative to assess the extent to which young adolescents in Lebanese schools are affected by problematic internet use (PIU) and the factors associated with it. This large-scale Lebanese survey aims to evaluate the relationship between PIU, depression, and substance use, including alcohol consumption and nicotine use (cigarettes and waterpipe) among adolescents in Lebanese schools. METHODS: This cross-sectional study conducted between January and May 2019 assessed internet use through the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), with 'severe internet use' being the threshold for problematic internet use. It enrolled a total of 1810 adolescents aged 14 to 17 from 16 schools from all Lebanese Mohafazat. RESULTS: The majority of the participants had an average internet use 74.8% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.72-0.76), 20.7% (95% CI: 0.18-0.22) had a frequent internet use, and 4.5% (95% CI: 0.03-0.05) had a severe internet use. Higher alcohol dependence (ß = 0.456, p < 0.001), higher depression (ß = 0.079, p = 0.001), and having separated parents vs. living together (ß = 0.136, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with higher IAT scores. Higher waterpipe dependence (ß = -0.218, p < 0.001) was significantly associated with lower IAT scores. CONCLUSION: This study, the first and largest of its kind in the Middle East, showed that some psychiatric disorders, such as depression and substance use (smoking and alcohol), are associated with more problematic internet use among Lebanese adolescents. These results could serve as the first step for policymakers towards implementing early awareness campaigns to look at this problem more in-depth and come up with efficient actions to avoid it.

Smoking and COVID-19: A Scoping Review.

Smoking affects a person's overall health and damages nearly every organ of the body. Since smoking tobacco affects and damages the lungs, it increases the risk of respiratory infections and makes it easier for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to invade the lung tissue, causing more severe symptoms and increasing the risk of death. However, debates are still ongoing as to the effect of cigarette smoking on vulnerability to COVID-19. Some studies, where active smokers were underrepresented among patients with COVID-19, claimed that a "smoker's paradox" may exist in COVID-19 and that smokers are protected from infection and severe complications of COVID-19. However, other studies reported the opposite trend. The objective of this study is to review the findings of epidemiological and in vitro studies about the association between smoking and the risk of contracting COVID-19, taking into account disease severity. Several epidemiological studies have found a higher smoking prevalence among COVID-19 infected patients. Also, studies had shown that people with respiratory diseases caused by tobacco use are at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms. Studies have shown that in vitro, the acute exposure allows for more severe proximal airway epithelial disease from SARS-CoV-2 by reducing the mucosal innate immune response and the proliferation of airway basal stem cells and has implications for disease spread and severity in people exposed to cigarette smoke, with a more severe viral infection and cell death. Smoker patients with different comorbidities are at higher risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus and have a worse prognosis for the virus as well as for their comorbidities. Further investigations of the interaction between smoking and COVID-19 are warranted to accurately assess the risk of contracting COVID-19 among smokers, and the progression to mechanical ventilation or death in patients who suffer from it.

Adaptation of the Young Adults' Cigarette Dependence (YACD) Scale for the development and validation of the Adolescent Cigarette Dependence Scale (ACDS).

Vulnerable adolescents may lose control over cigarette use within a day or two after smoking their first cigarette, as nicotine dependence (ND) symptoms may appear before actual daily smoking and usually occur at low levels of daily smoking. Moreover, smoking can cause illnesses and promote other types of substance abuse. Therefore, it was deemed essential to adapt the Young Adults' Cigarette Dependence (YACD) Scale to develop and validate the Adolescent Cigarette Dependence Scale (ACDS) in Lebanese adolescents and evaluate whether cumulative cigarette smoking is associated with nicotine dependence and symptoms of dependence. A cross-sectional study was carried out between August and September 2020, during the partial sanitary lockdown imposed by the government to limit COVID-19, coinciding with the summer holidays for most Lebanese. The total sample consisted of 564 community-dwelling adolescents aged 13 to 18. A factor analysis was performed using a varimax rotation. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measurement of sampling adequacy and Bartlett's sphericity test were appropriate. The factors retained corresponded to Eigenvalues > 1. Cronbach's alpha value represented the internal consistency of the scale. The Hooked on Nicotine Checklist (HONC) was used to screen for dependence symptoms. All items of the YACD were extracted, except for items 4 (smoking to concentrate at work) and 18 (smoking as a habit), which yielded a three-factor solution (factor 1 = smoking patterns; factor 2 = positive and negative reinforcements; factor 3 = smoking cessation) with Eigenvalues > 1 (variance explained = 56.18%; KMO = 0.784; Bartlett's sphericity test p < 0.001; αCronbach = 0.875). The newly generated scale was termed Adolescent Cigarette Dependence Scale (ACDS) and consisted of 19 items. Higher ACDS scores (higher cigarette dependence) were significantly associated with higher HONC scores (higher symptoms of dependence) (rho = 0.647; p < 0.001). Having deceased (B = 8.54) or divorced (B = 4.26) parents and higher cumulative cigarette smoking (B = 0.29) were significantly associated with higher ACDS scores. Higher cumulative cigarette smoking (B = 0.05) was significantly associated with higher HONC scores due to cigarettes. This study could validate a new tool to evaluate nicotine dependence among Lebanese adolescents, the Adolescent Cigarette Dependence Scale (ACDS). This version adapted from the Young Adults' Cigarette Dependence (YACD) Scale is reliable and valuable and correlates well with other scales, such as the HONC. However, further studies are necessary to improve this instrument, adding new questions useful for the diagnosis and evaluation of cigarette dependence.

Prevalence of asthma, its correlates, and validation of the Pre-School Asthma Risk Factors Scale (PS-ARFS) among preschool children in Lebanon.

OBJECTIVES: The Asthma Risk Factor Scale (ARFS) is used to screen for asthma in Lebanese preschool children (aged 3-16 years). The study objective was to describe factors associated with asthma, confirm ARFS score validity among Lebanese preschool children, and develop a risk score for asthma diagnosis in this age group (Pre-School Asthma Risk Factor Scale [PS-ARFS]). METHODS: A cross-sectional study enrolled 515 preschool children (November 2018 and March 2019). The ARFS is a 15-item tool that assesses children's environmental exposure, parental history of asthma, and dietary habits. RESULTS: The percentage of asthmatic children was 8.2%. Higher odds of asthma in children were associated with living near a prairie sprayed with pesticides (odds ratio [OR] = 2.33), playing outdoors (OR = 2.89), having a heater in the bedroom (OR = 10.73), attending a nursery (OR = 2.91), having a mother who smokes cigarettes (OR = 3.35) or water pipe (OR = 2.46), a sister with a history of seasonal allergy (OR = 6.81), and a parental history (mother and father) of asthma (OR = 6.15 and OR = 9.83, respectively). Higher ARFS scores (OR = 1.144) were associated with higher odds of asthma. Accordingly, the PS-ARFS was created according to the following formula: ARFS score + (playing outdoor × 2.4) + (heating system in the bedroom × 12.9) + (having attended a nursery × 2.5) (area under the curve = 0.908 [0.860-0.957]; P < 0.001); at value: 14.20, Se = 84.3% and Sp = 90.9%. CONCLUSION: PS-ARFS is suggested for screening of asthma in preschool children in an epidemiological setting and in the absence of spirometry.

Hygiene hypothesis: association between hygiene and asthma among preschool children in Lebanon.

OBJECTIVES: To validate a scale to assess the hygiene hypothesis and the association between hygiene and asthma among Lebanese preschool children aged 3-5 years. METHODS: This cross-sectional study, conducted between November 2018 and March 2019, enrolled 515 preschool children. Asthma and potential risk factors, including hygiene, were assessed using a standardized questionnaire. A specific hygiene hypothesis scale has been generated and validated for this purpose. RESULTS: The hygiene hypothesis scale items converged over a solution of nine factors that had an Eigenvalue over 1, explaining a total of 65.86% of the variance. An acceptable Cronbach's alpha value was recorded for the hygiene hypothesis scale (0.696). Variables correlated with higher odds of asthma were male gender (ORa = 0.41 for females), living near a prairie sprayed with pesticides (ORa = 3.09), having a heating system in the bedroom compared to the sitting room (ORa = 9.97), attending kindergarten (ORa = 2.80), having a mother who smokes waterpipe compared to not smoking (ORa = 3.34), having a mother with a history of asthma (ORa = 5.50), and having respiratory infections (ORa = 14.72). However, the hygiene hypothesis score was not associated with higher odds of asthma (p = 0.881). CONCLUSIONS: The current results suggested that neither home cleaning nor personal cleanliness was correlated with asthma in preschool children. Larger prospective studies that measure the intensity and duration of exposure to each toxicant are suggested to better assess the hygiene hypothesis items and their association with asthma.

Association of characters and temperaments with cigarette and waterpipe dependence among a sample of Lebanese adults.

It was discovered that the relation between certain personality traits and nicotine dependence differs among ethnicities and cultures; therefore, this study was conducted to determine which temperaments and personality traits are associated with smoking dependence in order to contribute to the development of effective and targeted interventions for smoking dependence within the Lebanese population. A cross-sectional study was carried out between March and April 2020 among a sample of Lebanese adults from all Lebanese governorates. The sample included (N = 501) divided as follows: 62 (12.4%) nonsmokers, 37 (7.4%) cigarette smokers, 266 (53.1%) waterpipe smokers, and 136 (27.1%) mixed smokers. Higher cooperativeness (B = - 0.03) was significantly associated with lower waterpipe dependence. High vs. low education level (B = - 0.97), female gender compared to males (B = - 1.07), higher cooperativeness (B = - 0.01), and higher self-transcendence (B = - 0.01) were significantly associated with lower cigarette dependence, whereas higher age (B = 0.03) was significantly associated with higher cigarette dependence. A multinomial regression analysis, taking the smoking group as the dependent variable, showed that higher harm avoidance (aOR = 0.97) and novelty seeking (aOR = 0.97) were significantly associated with lower cigarette smoking. A high level of education vs. a low one (aOR = 8.85) was significantly associated with higher cigarette smoking. Higher self-transcendence was significantly associated with lower mixed smoking. Being married vs. single (aOR = 2.46) was significantly associated with higher odds of being a mixed smoker, whereas female gender compared to males (aOR = 0.41) was significantly associated with lower odds of being a mixed smoker. These results are pivotal in understanding the relationship between personality and smoking dependence.

Factors associated with problematic social media use among a sample of Lebanese adults: The mediating role of emotional intelligence.

PURPOSE: To assess the relationship of smoking (cigarettes or waterpipe), alcohol drinking, alexithymia, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, stress, social phobia, emotional intelligence, impulsivity, insomnia, physical health, and loneliness with problematic social media use (PSMU) in a sample of Lebanese citizens. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 466 participants (January-May 2019). RESULTS: Higher anxiety, alcohol use disorder, and social phobia were correlated with elevated PSMU, while older age was associated with lower PSMU. Emotional intelligence partially mediated the association between alexithymia and PSMU by 4.55%. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Since these manifestations are preventable, spreading awareness through our schools, educational programs, and even healthcare professionals would considerably reduce the pace at which young adults are transforming into anxious and distorted individuals.

Association between parental separation and addictions in adolescents: results of a National Lebanese Study.

BACKGROUND: Since divorce rates are on the rise in Lebanon (an increase of 101% between 2006 and 2017) and since previous international studies have shown a relationship between divorced parents and adolescents' addiction to smoking, alcohol, and the internet, assessing the background of the Lebanese situation was deemed necessary. The study objective was to investigate the association between the divorce of parents and smoking, alcohol, and internet addiction among a representative sample of Lebanese adolescents. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional, conducted between January and May 2019 using a proportionate random sample of schools from all Lebanese Mohafazat. Out of 2000 questionnaires distributed; 1810 (90.5%) were completed and collected back. RESULTS: The mean age was 15.42 ± 1.14 years, with 53.3% females and 74.1% smokers. In addition, 11.9% [95% CI 0.104-0.134] of the adolescents had separated/divorced parents. Divorce in parents was significantly associated with higher alcohol use disorder (Beta = 8.035), higher cigarette dependence (Beta = 2.767) and a higher waterpipe dependence (Beta = 5.263) in adolescents. However, divorce in parents was not associated with internet addiction in adolescents. CONCLUSION: Parental divorce is correlated to higher alcohol and smoking, but not internet addiction among adolescents. Children whose parents are divorced should be subject to continuous follow-up by their parents and by a psychiatrist/psychologist in order not to develop an addiction that could potentially harm them.