Abstract |
An increasing prevalence of smoking in Jordan has been noted and this necessitates understanding the social behaviours that have lead to this habit. This cross-sectional, descriptive study determined the prevalence of smoking among Jordanians in relation to demographics with a focus on 4 types of tobacco products—cigarettes, waterpipes, cigars and pipes. A population sample of 3196 adults aged 18+ years answered an interview questionnaire about their smoking habit and types and amounts of tobacco consumed. Overall 32.3% of the respondents reported being current smokers (54.9% of males and 8.3% of females) and 2.9% were ex-smokers. Cigarette smoking was the most frequent type of tobacco smoking (93.0%) and one-third of cigarette smokers consumed more than 20 cigarettes per day. Waterpipe smoking was the second most common habit (8.6%) and was significantly associated with lower age in both males and females. Reducing the high rate of smoking in Jordan must be a priority. |