COVID-19 and hookah smoking cessation among women in Southern Iran: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Hookah smoking does not only transmit COVID-19 but also intensifies the symptoms of the disease. Thus, the present research aimed to explore the association between COVID-19 and hookah cessation among female smokers. The institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted nine months after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Face-to-face interviews were held between November 2020 and January 2021 to explore the pattern of hookah smoking among 561 female hookah smokers in Bandar Abbas in the south of Iran. The daily, weekly and monthly rates of hookah smoking showed a statistically significant decrease in the during COVID-19 era (p < .001). Thirteen percent of women managed to cease hookah smoking successfully during the pandemic. The odds ratio of hookah cessation was higher in single women (95% CI 1.09-5.23) as well as women with a high socioeconomic status (SES) (95% CI 4.28-24.01). It was also higher among women who initiated hookah smoking at an older age (95% CI 29-68) and among those with no hookah smoking family member (95% CI 301- 943). Fear of COVID-19 infection was the leading factor involved in hookah cessation or reduction. Entertainment was the leading barrier to successful hookah cessation behavior. It is believed that COVID-19 has directly and indirectly contributed to the reduced or ceased hookah smoking behavior. One of the reasons for the reduction of hookah smoking was the fear of aggravated symptoms and reasons for cessation included closure of coffee shops and removal of all hookahs from the city.

Keywords:

• Coronavirus
• SARS-CoV-2
• smoke
• smoking
• smoking cessation hookah smoking
• Iran

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences for their financial support. The authors would also like to express their gratitude to the participants for their sincere cooperation.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This research was approved in Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences (#IR.HUMS.REC.1399.060). Verbal informed consent was obtained from respondents who participated in the study. All the information was kept confidential.

Funding

This research received a grant from Hormozgan University of medical sciences.