Background: The relationship between smoking and Coronavirus
Disease-2019 (COVID-19) is still topical with mixed epidemiological
evidence. However, the pandemic may affect people’s beliefs towards
smoking as well as smoking behavior and quit intentions. Considering
high smoking rates in Jordan, our current study aimed to assess the
following points in a community-based sample from Jordan: (i) the
beliefs that surround smoking and COVID-19, (ii) the pandemic impact on
smoking behavior and quit intention.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jordan
utilizing an online questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised 13 items
on sociodemographic, health, and smoking profiles, 14 items to assess
beliefs surrounding COVID-19 and the use of combustible cigarettes (CC),
waterpipe (WP), and electronic cigarettes (EC), and 12 items to assess
the pandemic impact on smoking behavior and quit intention.
Results: Of 2424 survey respondents who participated in our
study there were 1163 never-smokers, 1044 current smokers, and 217
ex-smokers. The mean age of participants was 35.2 years (SD:11.06). Most
participants have shown anti-smoking beliefs with around 72.9% believed
that WP smoking is related to the risk of contracting COVID-19. Also,
71.7% believed that smoking CC may worsen the COVID-19 clinical course,
while 74.1% of respondents believed that smoking has no protective
effect against COVID-19. During the pandemic, about 28.1% and 19.3% of
current smokers reported increased or reduced smoking, respectively, and
many smokers reported their willingness to quit smoking due to the
pandemic. Besides, 459 current smokers have expressed their
plans/intention to quit smoking during the pandemic, of whom 27.5%
(n=126) confirmed that the driving force for their decision is a
COVID-19 related reason, such as self-protection (n=123) and protection
of family members (=121) which were the most reported ones. Also, around
63 participants have successfully ceased smoking during the pandemic.
However, only 22 of them reported that the main driving motivation of
their successful quit attempt was the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion: Most participants reported anti-smoking beliefs and
attitudes during the pandemic. Nevertheless, the double-edged effect of
the pandemic on smoking habits should be carefully considered, and
reliable anti-smoking measures should be strengthened and sustained in
the country.
Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Among Never Smokers in Golestan Province, Iran, an Area of High Incidence of Esophageal Cancer – a Cross-Sectional Study with Repeated Measurement of Urinary 1-OHPG in Two Seasons
