Differences in tobacco smoking prevalence and frequency between adolescent Palestine refugee and non-refugees populations in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank: cross-sectional analysis of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Jawad, M
Khader, A
Millett, C
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Background: Evidence is conflicting as to the whether tobacco smoking prevalence is higher in refugee than
non-refugee populations. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence and frequency of tobacco smoking
in Palestine refugee and non-refugee adolescent populations in the Middle East.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) conducted in
Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank among adolescent Palestine refugees and non-refugees. Age- and sexadjusted
regression models assessed the association between refugee status and current (past-30 day) tobacco use
prevalence and frequency.
Results: Prevalence estimates for current tobacco smoking were similar between Palestine refugee and nonrefugee
groups in Jordan (26.7 % vs. 24.0 %), Lebanon (39.4 % vs. 38.5 %), and the West Bank (39.5 % vs. 38.4 %).
In Syria, Palestine refugees had nearly twice the odds of current tobacco smoking compared to non-refugees
(23.2 % vs. 36.6 %, AOR 1.96, 95 % CI 1.46–2.62). Palestine refugees consumed more cigarettes per month than
non-refugees in Lebanon (β 0.57, 95 % CI 0.17–0.97) and Palestine refugees consumed more waterpipe tobacco
per month than non-refugees in Syria (β 0.40, 95 % CI 0.19–0.61) and the West Bank (β 0.42, 95 % CI 0.21–0.64).
Conclusions: Current tobacco smoking prevalence is in excess of 20 % in both adolescent Palestine refugee and
non-refugee populations in Middle Eastern countries, however Palestine refugees may smoke tobacco more
frequently than non-refugees. Comparison of simple prevalence estimates may therefore mask important
differences in tobacco use patterns within population groups.
non-refugee populations. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence and frequency of tobacco smoking
in Palestine refugee and non-refugee adolescent populations in the Middle East.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) conducted in
Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank among adolescent Palestine refugees and non-refugees. Age- and sexadjusted
regression models assessed the association between refugee status and current (past-30 day) tobacco use
prevalence and frequency.
Results: Prevalence estimates for current tobacco smoking were similar between Palestine refugee and nonrefugee
groups in Jordan (26.7 % vs. 24.0 %), Lebanon (39.4 % vs. 38.5 %), and the West Bank (39.5 % vs. 38.4 %).
In Syria, Palestine refugees had nearly twice the odds of current tobacco smoking compared to non-refugees
(23.2 % vs. 36.6 %, AOR 1.96, 95 % CI 1.46–2.62). Palestine refugees consumed more cigarettes per month than
non-refugees in Lebanon (β 0.57, 95 % CI 0.17–0.97) and Palestine refugees consumed more waterpipe tobacco
per month than non-refugees in Syria (β 0.40, 95 % CI 0.19–0.61) and the West Bank (β 0.42, 95 % CI 0.21–0.64).
Conclusions: Current tobacco smoking prevalence is in excess of 20 % in both adolescent Palestine refugee and
non-refugee populations in Middle Eastern countries, however Palestine refugees may smoke tobacco more
frequently than non-refugees. Comparison of simple prevalence estimates may therefore mask important
differences in tobacco use patterns within population groups.
Date Issued
2016-10-05
Date Acceptance
2016-06-28
Citation
Conflict and Health, 2016, 10
ISSN
1752-1505
Publisher
BioMed Central
Journal / Book Title
Conflict and Health
Volume
10
Copyright Statement
© 2016 The Author(s). Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to
the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver
(http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to
the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver
(http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
License URL
Subjects
1117 Public Health And Health Services
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
20