Poly-Tobacco Use among Young Adult Waterpipe Smokers: Insights from University Students in Three Eastern Mediterranean Countries.

INTRODUCTION: There is a tendency of waterpipe smokers to advance their practice toward concurrent use (poly-tobacco use) of other tobacco products and nicotine delivery systems. This study investigated poly-tobacco use among waterpipe smokers, and its effect on their quit intention. METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional design was utilized to recruit a convenience sample of university students who used waterpipe in three East Mediterranean countries. Using an internet-based survey, data were collected regarding participants' demographics, use of alternative tobacco products and nicotine delivery systems, and waterpipe quitting profile. Results: A total of 2290 students agreed to participate, among which 1116 (45.3%) reported using at least one tobacco product beside waterpipe. Poly-tobacco use was highest (61.1%) in Egypt, followed by Jordan (45.1%) and Palestine (33.1%). Across countries, cigarettes were the most common product (45.2%, n = 924) followed by cigar (18.6%, n = 374) and e-shisha (17.5%, n = 353). Conversely, the least reported product was smokeless tobacco (7.5%, n = 151) preceded by regular pipe (9.5%, n = 193). Participants who were males (OR = 2.83, 95% CI: 2.18-3.65), older (22-29 years) (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.09-1.22), unemployed (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.22-2.04), and those who initiated waterpipe at a younger age (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.87-0.91) had higher odds of being poly-smokers. Poly-tobacco users were significantly more resistant to quit waterpipe. Conclusion: This study demonstrates poly-tobacco use as a rising phenomenon among waterpipe smokers and highlights the necessity for initiating advanced interventions to help waterpipe poly-tobacco users quit this dangerous type of addiction. Various country-specific programs are needed considering the various products used by the users.

The correlates of psychological distress among parents of children with psychiatric disorders.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, parents of children with psychological problems have poor psychological well-being. However, the factors associated with psychological distress among parents living in the Arab world have yet to be established. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlates of psychological distress among parents who have children with psychological problems in Jordan. METHODS: A descriptive correlational design was utilized. A total of 228 parents recruited from seven centers serving children with psychological problems completed the study. The outcome variables were measured using the demographic questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and a psychological distress scale (Kessler 6 instrument). RESULTS: More than half of the parents in this study had severe levels of psychological distress. Parental psychological distress was significantly correlated with marital status, employment, and the type of childhood psychiatric disorder. Social support was significantly and negatively correlated with psychological distress among parents (r = -0.58; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Tailoring specific interventions to support these parents is necessary considering the specific variables identified in the current study.

Evaluating health warning messages specific to waterpipe smoking among university students in Jordan.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Health warning messages specific to waterpipe smoking (WPS) have not been tested enough in literature. This study evaluated university students' response to such messages. Specifically, this study (1) assessed the extent to which certain warning messages and pictorial signs motivate participants to quit WPS smoking; (2) identified the best location to place the warning signs of waterpipe as perceived by participants; and (3) assessed participants' intention to quit WPS. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 397 university students in Jordan using an Internet-based survey. The following data were collected: intentions regarding WPS, response to nine warning messages, and responses to four pictorial signs. RESULTS: The message that had the highest motivation to quit smoking was " WPS during pregnancy can harm your baby" (79.3%), whereas the highest pictorial sign was regarding "Protect your children" (64.2%). Most (69.5%) participants believed that WPS products and accessories should contain warnings, and the best suggested location was the pipe handle (52.4%). Participants who reported quitting WPS and those who had an intention to quit had significantly higher responses to both types of health warning labels (HWLs). CONCLUSION: Both text-only and pictorial HWLs were found to encourage quitting WPS among university students. Knowing that participants are having an intention to quit mandates extra efforts to make WPS experience less appealing through reminding them regarding its harms. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Support is needed by health care providers to put those effective health warning messages in action. Furthermore, providers can use such health warnings in motivating their patients to quit WPS.

Emotional and behavioral problems among Jordanian adolescents: Prevalence and associations with academic achievement.

BACKGROUND: Mental health concerns are important for adolescent's general wellbeing and they can be associated with their ability to function effectively in various aspects of their daily life. AIM: The purpose of this study was to identify emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) among Jordanian adolescents and their association with academic outcomes. METHODS: A descriptive correlational design was used. A total of 810 adolescents participated in the study and completed the demographic survey and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The grade point average (GPA) was used as an indicator of the academic achievement. The GPA was correlated with the SDQ scores to identify the relationship between the EBD and academic achievement. RESULTS: About 11.7% of the participants had psychological and behavioral problems. The most commonly reported problems were emotional symptoms (14.2%), conduct problems (12.5%), and hyperactivity (7.5%). There was a significant difference in psychological and behavioral problems according to the participants' gender. There was a significant negative relationship between the SDQ scores and the GPA. CONCLUSION: There is a need to identify adolescents at risk of emotional and behavioral difficulties and refer them to appropriate care and support, which in turn would improve their academic achievement.

Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale: Validation of the Arabic Version Among Jordanians With Chronic Diseases.

This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of Exercise Self-Efficacy scale (ESE-A) among Jordanian outpatients with a variety of chronic diseases using descriptive cross-sectional design. Participants' scores of ESE-A significantly correlated with their reported weekly exercise frequency ( r = .23, p< .001), duration ( r = .31, p< .001), and evaluation of their physical exercise ( r = .39, p< .001). The construct validity was tested using exploratory factor analysis, which retained all items, and the scree plot showed one meaningful factor with an eigenvalue of 10.38 and an explained variance of 57.7%. Furthermore, Cronbach's alpha was .89 and split-half coefficient was .83 indicating that the ESE-A is a reliable scale. The ESE-A was found to be a robust measure to evaluate exercise self-efficacy among Arabic patients with chronic diseases. Arabic researchers interested in exercise self-efficacy are invited to utilize the ESE-A in their studies to confirm its psychometric properties.