THE PREVALENCE OF NOVEL TOBACCO PRODUCT USE AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AMONG INDIVIDUALS UTILIZING SMOKING CESSATION SERVICES: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Tobacco use is one of the public health issue these days, causing approximately 8 million deaths annually. In Qatar, tobacco use prevalence among adult’s ranges from 12.6% to 25.2%, with specificity with introducing New products that are known as novel tobacco products such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), heated tobacco products (HTPs), and nicotine pouches, despite the perception that is way to harm reduction of traditional products, the long-term health effects of these products remain uncertain. Limited data and regulatory challenges persist, making efforts from the smoking cessation support in Qatar ineffective. Objective: To determine the prevalence of novel tobacco product use and the associated sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of individuals attending the Tobacco Control Centre (TCC) in HMC between 2023-2024. Methods: A cross-sectional study used secondary data from patient assessment forms at TCC, a WHO Collaborating Centre for treating tobacco dependence. The study included adult patients (≥18 years) who sought tobacco cessation services in 2023-2024. Data variables included sociodemographic factors (age, sex, nationality, education, employment, marital status), tobacco use patterns, nicotine dependence scores, prior quit attempts, and comorbidities. Results: A total of 406 individuals attended the TCC during the study period. Most were male (94.8%), with a mean age of 42 years (SD = 11.7). Traditional tobacco use was reported by 86%, while 8% used novel tobacco products and 6% reported dual use. Cigarettes were the most common product (74.3%), followed by smokeless tobacco (7.4%) and shisha (6.4%). Age and nationality were significantly associated with tobacco product use. Older age was linked to lower odds of novel tobacco use (odds ratio (OR) = 0.93; 95% Bias-Corrected and Accelerated (BCa) confidence interval (CI): 0.88–0.96). Qataris had higher odds of using novel tobacco products than non-Qataris (OR = 6.43; 95% BCa CI: 2.71–15.11). Other variables, including gender, education, employment, marital status, health conditions, prior quit attempts, perceived quit success, blood pressure, and BMI, were not significantly associated. Conclusion: Although novel tobacco product use is still relatively low among patients seeking cessation, younger and Qatari individuals are more likely to use them. These findings highlight the need for tailored cessation strategies that address emerging tobacco trends and specific population groups in Qatar.