Tobacco study in Qatar

Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Tobacco Control Center has begun the fieldwork for a study that aims to examine knowledge, attitudes and practices related to tobacco use in Qatar, according to a story in The Gulf Times.

The study, which is thought to be the most comprehensive investigation of its type in the country, will seek input from Qatari citizens and non-Qatari residents, smokers and non-smokers, males and females.

Employees of ministries, government organizations, media outlets, including Al Jazeera and Qatar TV, healthcare workers, and university students are among those being targeted by researchers.

Dr. Ahmad al-Mulla, head of the HMC Tobacco Control Center, said the study had been endorsed by HMC’s Medical Research Center.

He said the main goal of the study was to gather data on the prevalence of smoking and tobacco use among those aged 18 and above, and information on the consumption rates of various tobacco products and paraphernalia, including cigarettes, shisha, sweika (chewing tobacco), pipes, cigars, electronic cigarettes, and electronic shisha.

Researchers will seek input from those who have tried to quit smoking, and will investigate which quit methods are most effective.

The study will address also the relationship between tobacco use and tobacco product advertisements.

Dr al-Mulla said a number of related topics, including opinions on second-hand smoke and the impact of a recent rise in prices of tobacco products would be examined also.

The results of the study, which is expected to involve as many as 6,000 participants, will be released later this year and will be used to inform government policies and tobacco control public health initiatives.