Factors Affecting Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking among University Students in Qatar.

Background: Recent data show an increase in the prevalence of waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) among university students in the Arab Gulf region alongside an attitude of social acceptability and a perception that WTS is less harmful than traditional cigarette smoking. Objective: This study measures the prevalence of WTS among university students and examines the individual, sociocultural, and environmental factors influencing this practice. Methods: Participants were selected through stratified random sampling of students in the largest national university in Qatar. Data were collected anonymously using an online questionnaire. Descriptive univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted to examine the association of WTS with participants' sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, and attitudes. Results: 199 students completed the questionnaire. Among students who reported using tobacco products, waterpipe (shisha) was the most common product (70.6%). WTS was significantly associated with having a mother (p = 0.015) or a close friend (p < 0.001) who smoked. Compared to non-users, waterpipe tobacco users were significantly more likely to believe that waterpipe tobacco is less addictive than cigarettes (p = 0.009) and significantly less likely to believe that waterpipe tobacco can lead to cardiovascular diseases (p = 0.003) or dental problems (p = 0.02). More waterpipe tobacco users than non-users disagreed that parents (p = 0.005) or advertisements (p = 0.002) could influence use. More waterpipe tobacco users (70%) than non-users (37%) believed that females were more comfortable using waterpipes than cigarettes. Conclusions and implications: The findings shed light on factors shaping WTS and provide evidence for designing multilevel behavioral interventions to decrease the prevalence of WTS among youth.

A scoping review of the risk factors and strategies followed for the prevention of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases during sports mass gatherings: Recommendations for future FIFA World Cups.

Objective: Sports mass gatherings of people pose particular concerns and place an additional burden on the host countries and the countries of origin of the travelers. It is imperative to identify how countries dealt with various communicable diseases in the context of previous world cups and identify possible advice for protection from outbreaks. Methods: A scoping review was employed in this study and a PRISMA extension for scoping reviews was employed to guide the reporting of this study. A systematic search was performed using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, SCOPUS, SportDiscus, and Google scholar. The search strategy included two main strings viz "communicable disease" AND "sport" AND "setting" as keywords for each string. A total of 34 studies were included in this review. Results: Information on risk factors for infectious diseases during FIFA, and recommendations for disease prevention in various stages of the event: pre-event, during, and post-event were charted. These strategies can be achieved with the empowerment of the public by enhancing their social responsibility and the coordination between the healthcare system, the ministry of public health, and other stakeholders. Conclusion: The findings will support planning for protection strategies to prevent any outbreak while having the FIFA World Cup or any other sports gatherings. A model was constructed to present the findings and recommendations from this review.

Factors Influencing Public Attitudes towards COVID-19 Vaccination: A Scoping Review Informed by the Socio-Ecological Model.

Major hindrances to getting a COVID-19 vaccine include vaccine hesitancy, skepticism, refusal, and anti-vaccine movements. Several studies have been conducted on attitudes of the public towards COVID-19 vaccines and the potential influencing factors. The purpose of this scoping review is to summarize the data available on the various factors influencing public attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination. This scoping review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Statement. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central were searched without restrictions to reclaim all publications on the factors that shape individuals' attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines from 1 January 2020 to 15 February 2021. Fifty studies were included. The scoping review revealed that the factors influencing public attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines were embedded within the different levels of the socio-ecological model. These factors included the sociodemographic characteristics of the individuals, individual factors, social and organizational factors. In addition, certain characteristics of COVID-19 vaccines themselves influenced public attitudes towards accepting the vaccines. Understanding various population needs and the factors shaping public attitudes towards the vaccines would support planning for evidence-based multilevel interventions in order to enhance global vaccine uptake.