Journal article
Women and Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Allure or Offensiveness
Women & health, Vol.53(1), pp.100-116
01/01/2013
DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2012.753978
PMID: 23421341
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.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Women and Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Allure or Offensiveness
- Creators
- Joanna Khalil - Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences , American University of BeirutRima Afifi - Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences , American University of BeirutFouad M Fouad - Syrian Center for Tobacco StudiesFadi Hammal - Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine , University of AlbertaYara Jarallah - Sociology Department, Faculty of Social Sciences , Brown UniversityMostafa Mohamed - Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine , Ain Shams UniversityRima Nakkash - Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences , American University of Beirut
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Women & health, Vol.53(1), pp.100-116
- DOI
- 10.1080/03630242.2012.753978
- PMID
- 23421341
- NLM abbreviation
- Women Health
- ISSN
- 0363-0242
- eISSN
- 1541-0331
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis Group
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/01/2013
- Academic Unit
- Injury Prevention Research Center; Community and Behavioral Health
- Record Identifier
- 9984063126702771
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