RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Consensus statement on assessment of waterpipe smoking in epidemiological studies
JF Tobacco Control
JO Tob Control
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 338
OP 343
DO 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016-052958
VO 26
IS 3
A1 Wasim Maziak
A1 Ziyad Ben Taleb
A1 Mohammed Jawad
A1 Rima Afifi
A1 Rima Nakkash
A1 Elie A Akl
A1 Kenneth D Ward
A1 Ramzi G Salloum
A1 Tracey E Barnett
A1 Brian A Primack
A1 Scott Sherman
A1 Caroline O Cobb
A1 Erin L Sutfin
A1 Thomas Eissenberg
A1 Expert Panel on Waterpipe Assessment in Epidemiological Studies
YR 2017
UL http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/26/3/338.abstract
AB Numerous epidemiological accounts suggest that waterpipe smoking (aka hookah, shisha, narghile) has become a global phenomenon, especially among youth. The alarming spread of waterpipe and accumulating evidence of its addictive and harmful effects represent a new threat in the global fight to limit tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. In response to waterpipe's alarming trends, major public health and tobacco control organisations have started or are considering systematic collection of data about waterpipe smoking to monitor its trends and assess its harmful effects in different societies. Such plans require coordination and agreement on epidemiological measurement tools that reflect the uniqueness of this tobacco use method, and at the same time allow comparison of waterpipe trends across time and place, and with other tobacco use methods. We started a decade ago our work to develop standardised measures and definitions for the assessment of waterpipe smoking in epidemiological studies. In this communication, we try to expand and update these assessment tools in light of our increased knowledge and understanding of waterpipe use patterns, its context and marketing, as well as the need for evidence-guided policies and regulations to curb its spread. We have assembled for this purpose a group of leading waterpipe researchers worldwide, and worked through an iterative process to develop the suggested instruments and definitions based on what we know currently about the waterpipe epidemic. While the suggested measures are by no means comprehensive, we hope that they can provide the building blocks for standard and comparable surveillance of waterpipe smoking globally.