Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40642229›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in public health2025

Tobacco smoking patterns in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: a comprehensive analysis of trends before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Zufishan Alam, Iffat Elbarazi, Budoor Al Shehhi, Maha Mohamed AlSafi, Mariam Al Wahedi, Ilfat Assaad Maarouf, Aamir Hassan, Mohammed Al-Houqani

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Zufishan AlamSchool of Health and Environmental Studies, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Iffat ElbaraziInstitute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Budoor Al ShehhiAbu Dhabi Public Health Centre, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Maha Mohamed AlSafiAbu Dhabi Public Health Centre, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Mariam Al WahediAbu Dhabi Public Health Centre, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Ilfat Assaad MaaroufAbu Dhabi Public Health Centre, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Aamir HassanAbu Dhabi Public Health Centre, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Mohammed Al-HouqaniCollege of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Tobacco smoking is a leading yet preventable risk factor for morbidity and mortality worldwide. As in western countries, the Arab world also encounters the growing tobacco epidemic. Assessment of smoking prevalence is a key step in identification of emerging trends, thus enabling planning of preventive measures. Methods: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of tobacco smoking among applicants of the Premarital Screening Program, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates during 2019-2023. Data was collected from all participants who applied for the program, through a questionnaire enquiring about tobacco smoking habits and methods of use. Overall smoking prevalence was assessed for the five-year period, as well as individually for each year. Smoking patterns were observed for three distinct COVID-19 periods: pre-COVID (2019), peri-COVID (2020-21) and post-COVID (2022-23). The smoking patterns were also examined by gender and nationality status. The findings are based on responses of 74791 applicants, of which 47% were females and 68.4% UAE nationals. Results: The reported overall tobacco smoking prevalence was 14.6%, with cigarette and Midwakh (handheld pipe) being the most commonly used methods (6.6%), followed by water pipe (2.2%). Smoking levels were reported to be significantly higher in men and UAE nationals compared to women and non-nationals respectively. A general decline was observed in point prevalence of tobacco smoking levels from the pre-COVID period (19.1%) to the peri-COVID period (15.1%), and further to the post-COVID period (13.5%) as the pandemic restrictions eased. Discussion: There is a need of control measures and interventions to maintain the positive behavioral change, brought by the COVID-19 that resulted in tobacco use reduction. Furthermore, steps to curb use of Midwakh, which is becoming an increasingly popular method of choice, are also required.

Indexed as

COVID-19SmokingTobacco SmokingAdolescentAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsPrevalenceSARS-CoV-2Surveys and QuestionnairesUnited Arab EmiratesYoung AdultCOVID-19Midwakhsmoking patternssmoking prevalence ratetobaccoUnited Arab Emirates

Identifiers

PMID40642229
PMCPMC12241038

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.