Tobacco use profile among COVID-19 infected adults and clinical disease spectrum in Qatar during the early pandemic

Figures & data

Table 1. Socio-demographic characteristics of current adult smokers diagnosed with COVID-19 infection in Qatar during 2020–2021 (n = 90).

Socio-demographic characteristic	Frequency (n)	Percentage (%)
Age (Years)
18–23	24	(26.7)
24–39	47	(52.2)
40–59	16	(17.8)
60 and above	3	(3.3)
mean (SD)	32.41 (12.66)
Gender
Male	84	(93.3)
Female	6	(6.7)
Nationality
Qatari	33	(36.7)
Non- Qatari	57	(63.3)
Marital status
Single	46	(51.1)
Married	44	(48.9)
Education status
Primary education and less	8	(8.9)
Preparatory education	10	(11.1)
Secondary education	25	(27.8)
University	47	(52.2)
Employment status
Employed	74	(82.3)
Not- employed	14	(15.5)
Household income
Less than 10,000 QR	52	(57.8)
10,000–30,000 QR	28	(31.1)
More than 30,000 QR	10	(11.1)

QR = Qatari Riyal; SD = Standard Deviation.

Figure 1. Type of tobacco products commonly used by current smokers in Qatar during 2020–2021 (n = 90).

A pie chart (A circle) is divided into five unequal pieces. Each piece presents the percentage of nicotine addiction level among cigarette smokers. The majority of people have low-very low nicotine addiction levels.

Table 2. Smoking characteristics of current adult cigarette smokers infected with COVID-19 in Qatar during 2020–2021 (n = 75).

Fagerstrom Nicotine Dependence Scale (FNDS)	Frequency (n)	Percentage (%)
Number of cigarettes per day (FNDS-1)
10 or less	37	(49.3)
11–20	15	(20.0)
21–30	13	(17.3)
More than 31	10	(13.3)
Time before smoking a first cigarette (FNDS-2)
Within 5 minutes	8	(10.7)
6 to 30 minutes	19	(25.3)
31 to 60 minutes	6	(8.0)
More than 60 minutes	42	(56.0)
Most difficult cigarette to quit (FNDS-3)
Morning (waking up) time cigarette	34	(45.3)
Any other	41	(54.7)
Smoking more frequently during the first hours of the day
(FNDS-4)
Yes	28	(37.3)
No	47	(62.7)
Smoking when very ill (FNDS-5)
Yes	33	(44.0)
No	42	(56.0)
Difficult to stop smoking in forbidden places (FNDS-6)
Yes	21	(28.0)
No	54	(72.0)

Figure 2. Distribution of cigarette smokers by Fagerstrom Nicotine Dependence Scale (FNDS) categories (n = 75).

Table 3. Dual tobacco products used among cigarette smoker adults (n = 75).

Other tobacco products	Frequency (n)	Percentage (%)
Waterpipe/Shisha
Yes	11	(14.7)
No	64	(85.3)
Vaping, E-cigarettes, E-shisha
Yes	3	(4.0)
No	72	(96.0)
Midwakh
Yes	4	(5.3)
No	71	(94.7)
Pipe
Yes	3	(4.0)
No	72	(96.0)
Smokeless tobacco (sweika, chewed, snuff)
Yes	2	(2.7)
No	73	(97.3)

E = Electronic; n = frequency; % = percentage.

Table 4. Hospital course, progression, and outcome among adult current tobacco smokers infected with COVID-19 infection in Qatar during 2020–2021 (n = 90).

Course of illness	Frequency (n)	Percentage (%)
Number of infections with COVID-19
Once	87	(96.7)
More than one	3	(3.3)
Symptoms of COVID-19 infection
Symptomatic	68	(75.6)
Asymptomatic	22	(24.4)
Level of Care
Home Isolation	33	(36.7)
Quarantine	36	(40.0)
Hospital requirement	21	(23.3)
Requires ICU
Yes	7	(33.3)
No	14	(66.7)
Required MV
Yes	5	(71.4)
No	2	(28.6)
Outcome
Alive	88	(97.8)
Death	2	(2.2)

ICU = intensive care unit, MV = Mechanical ventilation; n = frequency; % = percentage.

Table 5. Severity and outcome of COVID-19 infection among current cigarette smokers with low and high nicotine addiction levels in Qatar during 2020–2021 (n = 75).

	High nicotine dependent
	Yes (n = 22)		No (n = 53)
Course of illness	n	(%)	n	(%)
Number of infections with
COVID-19
Once	22	(29.7)	52	(70.3)
More than one	0	(0.0)	1	(100.0)
Symptoms of COVID-19
Infection
Symptomatic	17	(30.9)	38	(69.1)
Asymptomatic	5	(25.0)	15	(75.0)
Level of Care
Home Isolation	4	(16.7)	20	(83.3)
Quarantine	7	(21.2)	26	(78.8)
Hospital requirement	11	(61.1)	7	(38.9)
Required ICU
Yes	6	(85.7)	1	(14.3)
No	5	(45.5)	6	(54.5)
Required MV
Yes	5	(100.0)	0	(0.0)
No	1	(50.0)	1	(50.0)
Outcome
Alive	20	(27.4)	53	(72.6)
Death	2	(100.0)	0	(0.0)

ICU = intensive care unit; MV = Mechanical ventilation; n = frequency; % = percentage.

Figure 3. Common COVID-19 symptoms reported by current tobacco smokers during the early pandemic of 2020–2021 (n = 90).

A bar chart contains 11 columns presenting the percentages of COVID-19 symptoms reported among study smokers. Fever was reported more than other symptoms.

Data availability statement

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.