• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제16권2호
• /
• pp.427-430
• /
• 2015

Background: Dokha is a novel form of smoking in United Arab Emirates (UAE) on which there is very little published literature, especially among adolescents, and this form of smoking has been not been addressed adequately in the smoking cessation strategies in the UAE. Objectives: To assess the prevalence of dokha smoking among male secondary school students in Ajman UAE. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted among male secondary school students in Ajman, UAE. A total of 560 participants filled in self-administered questionnaires. Results: The prevalence of ever smokers was 39%; ever dokha smokers was 36% and current dokha smokers was 24%. The prevalence is very high when compared to other forms of smoking in the region and globally. Prevalence increased with increasing age and grade of students, prevalence of ever smokers, ever dokha smokers and current dokha smokers was lower in students in the science stream. 40% of the smokers used dokha, cigarettes and shisha, 30% used dokha and cigarettes, and 21% used dokha alone. 30% of the students smoked dokha on all days of the month. Conclusions: The prevalence of ever smokers, ever dokha smokers and current dokha smokers is very high. There is an urgent need for specific health promotion programs tailored to this age group on prevention of dokha smoking and policies restricting the availability of dokha to this age group.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권12호
• /
• pp.7065-7067
• /
• 2013

Background: Tobacco use is one of the leading causes of preventable death across the world today and the smoking rates among men in the Arab world are amongst the highest in the world. Smoking of dokha, a traditional Arab tobacco is common in some of the Middle East countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Iran. This review focuses on the prevalence, pattern and health effects of dokha use in the Middle East. For this purpose an electronic search was performed in the following databases and websites: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Proquest and Google scholar up to December 2012. The search strategy was based on Internet search for the synonyms of dohka or midwakh. From the results of the review it emerged that younger people are the most common users of dokha. Hence effective outreach health education programs, targeting adolescents, especially school students before they take up the habit of smoking, may thus curb the emergence of the problem.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제13권5호
• /
• pp.1819-1822
• /
• 2012

Background: In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) tobacco use is rampant. A less reported, yet widely used form of smoking native to UAE is midwakh or dhokha. The aim of the study is to assess the acute effects of smoking dokha (Arabian pipe) on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems among male university students in the UAE. Method: A quasi-experimental study was conducted among 97 male volunteers aged more than 17 years. Blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate of each participant, were measured before and immediately after smoking. A self administered questionnaire was used to collect personal details and data about smoking pattern. Results: Mean increases in systolic blood pressures ($12{\pm}1$ mmHg), heart rates ($20{\pm}2$ bpm) and respiratory rates ($4{\pm}1$ breaths/min) were observed (p < 0.001). A mean decrease in diastolic blood pressures ($1{\pm}1$ mmHg) was observed (p = 0.483). Conclusion: Smoking dokha has a significant acute effect on systolic blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate. Anti smoking campaigns must address the ill effects of this form of smoking. Results from the study warrant further research into this method of smoking which is becoming more popular.