INTRODUCTION: Electronic cigarettes (ECs) and heated tobacco products (HTPs) are recent arrivals to the nicotine product market in the Middle East, which are rapidly growing in popularity in the region. There is a lack of surveillance data at the country-level on use of these products and factors associated with their use.
AIMS AND METHODS: This study analyzed a subset of data from the United Arab Emirates Healthy Future Study, a population-based cohort study of the Emirati population, to determine the factors associated with EC and HTP use among a sample of Emirati adults (>=18 years). The baseline assessment and supplementary questionnaires, conducted from 2016 to 2023, included data on combustible tobacco use, EC, and HTP use and sociodemographic characteristics.
RESULTS: Of the 2041 individuals who answered questions on EC use, 32% reported ever using them. Of the 521 people who provided data on HTP, 30% reported ever using them. After adjusting for age, sex, education, perceived harms, and perceived addictiveness of EC, current EC use was associated with baseline combustible tobacco smoking (aOR = 27.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 14.39, 53.06), users of a younger age (aOR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.88, 0.95), and users of male sex (OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.21, 3.81). Current HTP use was less common but was also associated with baseline combustible tobacco use.
CONCLUSIONS: The use of ECs and HTPs was more common among those who used combustible tobacco. Future research should examine use trajectories among those who do and do not smoke, as well as the uptake of these products among youth.
Electronic-cigarette and heated tobacco product use in the United Arab Emirates, an emerging EC and HTP market: A cross-sectional analysis of the International Tobacco Control UAE Survey
Nicotine and Tobacco Research [Epub 2024 Dec 20]. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntae299.