Structural and political determinants of health among Syrian refugee young adults in the Bekaa, Lebanon: a prospective cohort study of the impact of security raids on perceived discrimination and well-being.

Objectives: In this work, which forms part of a larger study of a longitudinal intervention focused on empowering Community Mental Health Workers in a humanitarian context, we examine changes in and correlates of well-being of refugees as a result of discriminatory practices by the State, with comparisons motivated by a mechanistic model of well-being.

Design: This cohort study examines well-being at a single follow-up time as predicted by baseline characteristics in response to a changing social conditions including security raids on our participants; the parent interventional randomised trial focuses on a population of youth in a refugee context, but the present work precedes the main intervention period.

Setting: Refugee populations are among the most vulnerable globally, and the total refugee population is growing dramatically.

Behind the scenes of research ethics committee oversight: a qualitative research study with committee chairs in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Background: Research cites shortcomings and challenges facing research ethics committees in many regions across the world including Arab countries. This paper presents findings from qualitative in-depth interviews with research ethics committee (REC) chairs to explore their views on the challenges they face in their work with the oversight of research involving human populations.

Methods: Virtual in-depth interviews were conducted with chairs (n = 11) from both biomedical and/or social-behavioral research ethics committees in six countries, transcribed, coded and subject to thematic analysis for recurring themes.

Syrian refugee young adults as community mental health workers implementing problem management plus: Protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial to measure the mechanisms of effect on their own wellbeing, stress and coping.

Unlabelled: This pilot randomized controlled trial protocol aims to (1) assess the impact on the wellbeing of Syrian refugee young adults (18-24 years) of being a community mental health worker (CMHW) implementing WHO's evidence-based psychosocial intervention - Problem Management Plus (PM+) - with adults in their community, and (2) identify the mechanisms associated with the outcomes of enhanced wellbeing and coping, and reduced stress among these CMHWs. Over 108 million people have been forcibly displaced as of the end of 2022. Mental health consequences of these displacements are significant, yet human resources for health are not sufficient to meet the needs.

A qualitative study on tobacco use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon: Waterpipe and cigarette smokers' views, risk perceptions, and behaviors.

Introduction: Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number of studies have documented more severe COVID-19 symptoms and worse outcomes among smokers compared to non-smokers. The aim of this research is to understand the views, risk perceptions, and behaviors of Lebanese adult smokers during the pandemic.

Methods: We conducted 18 qualitative online structured interviews with adults who smoke cigarettes and waterpipe tobacco residing in Lebanon from November 2020 through April 2021.

Implementing Pictorial Health Warning Labels on Waterpipe Tobacco Products in Lebanon: A Policy Framework Analysis of Content, Actors, Context, and Process.

Introduction: Lebanon has one of the world's highest waterpipe (WP) consumption rates. Research has documented the effectiveness of implementing pictorial health warning labels (PHWLs) on WP products at encouraging smoking cessation and discouraging youth uptake of smoking.

Aims And Methods: This study aims to gain insight into key informants' (KIs) views on the issuance, implementation, and compliance of a decree for PHWLs on WP products.

From knowledge production to knowledge translation: Waterpipe tobacco control research in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) rates in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) are the highest worldwide, particularly among young people. Although fiscal policies to curb tobacco use have been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), implementation has been suboptimal. The Eastern Mediterranean Consortium on the Economics of Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking (ECON-WTS) was formed in response to this need to produce knowledge on the economics of WTS in the EMR and apply a comprehensive Knowledge translation (KT) framework.

Factors associated with intentions to quit tobacco use in Lebanon: A cross-sectional survey.

Introduction: The prevalence of tobacco smoking in Lebanon is among the highest globally. This study aims to determine past attempts to quit smoking among adults and identify factors associated with intentions to quit.

Methods: A nationally representative telephone survey was conducted between June and August 2022.

Effects of Pictorial Health Warning Labels on Intention to Quit Waterpipe in Lebanon: A Mediation Analysis.

Introduction: Pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) on waterpipe (WP) tobacco packages represent a better strategy for communicating the health risks associated with WP use and promoting quit intention than text-only. However, the mechanism by which these warnings lead to higher intentions to quit remains unknown.

Aims And Methods: This study explores how pictorial warnings versus text-only induces higher quit intention among a sample of young adult WP smokers in Lebanon.

Health and economic impacts of introducing specific excise tax to waterpipe tobacco in Egypt: a simulation model of simple and mixed tax policy approaches.

Introduction: Waterpipe tobacco is taxed at half the rate of cigarettes in Egypt and, unlike cigarettes, does not have a specific excise component. We aimed to simulate the introduction of a specific excise tax on waterpipe tobacco consumption, premature deaths and government waterpipe tobacco revenue in Egypt.

Methods: We took model inputs from the latest available data on consumption, market shares and market share prices, price elasticities of demand, tax structure and from discussions with government officials.

An effectiveness-implementation hybrid trial of phone-based tobacco cessation interventions in the Lebanese primary healthcare system: protocol for project PHOENICS.

Background: Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the world. Lebanon has an exceptionally high tobacco use burden. The World Health Organization endorses smoking cessation advice integrated into primary care settings as well as easily accessible and free phone-based counseling and low-cost pharmacotherapy as standard of practice for population-level tobacco dependence treatment.

Monitoring and Combating Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking Through Surveillance and Taxation.

Waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) is a traditional tobacco use method that originated in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) and has resurged in recent decades. WTS rates in the EMR are the highest worldwide, especially among youth, exceeding cigarette-smoking rates in select jurisdictions. Despite its documented harm, the growing prevalence of WTS has been met with a poor regulatory response globally.

Understanding Determinants of Electronic Cigarette and Heated Tobacco Product Use among Young Adults in Lebanon: Prevention and Policy Implications.

In line with the global trends, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and heated tobacco products (HTPs) have found their way to the Lebanese market. The present study aims to explore the determinants of e-cigarette and HTP use among young adults in Lebanon. Convenience and snowball sampling were used to recruit participants aged 18-30 residing in Lebanon, who were familiar with e-cigarettes products.

Developing Capacity in Dissemination and Implementation Research in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Evaluation of a Training Workshop.

Unlabelled: As the demand for dissemination and implementation (D&I) research grows globally, there is a need for D&I capacity building in regions where D&I science is underrepresented. The Workshop on Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (WONDIRH) was aimed for participants in the Eastern Mediterranean region to (1) appreciate the complex process of bridging research and practice in a variety of real-world settings, and (2) develop research that balances rigor with relevance and employs study designs and methods appropriate for the complex processes involved in D&I. The present exploratory study investigates participants' satisfaction with the workshop, the enhancement of their self-rated confidence in D&I skills, as well as their intention to apply the learned content into practice.

Economic research in waterpipe tobacco smoking: reflections on data, demand, taxes, equity and health modelling.

Economic evaluation of tobacco control policies is common in high-income settings and mainly focuses on cigarette smoking. Evidence suggests that increasing the excise tax of tobacco products is a consistently effective tool for reducing tobacco use and is an efficient mechanism for increasing government revenues. However, less research has been conducted in low/middle-income countries where other tobacco forms are common.

Gender differences in the price elasticity of demand for waterpipe and cigarette smoking in Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine: a volumetric choice experiment.

Objectives: This study assessed the extent to which the elasticity of cigarette and waterpipe tobacco products differs between men and women. We also explored the levels of substitution and complementarity in tobacco products among men and women.

Setting: The study examines tobacco elasticities in three Arab countries: Lebanon, Jordan and the West Bank of Palestine.

Corporations and Health: The Need to Combine Forces to Improve Population Health.

The recent concerns raised about commercial determinants of health (CDoH) are not new. Numerous organizations around the world are working on these issues. These groups have emerged in response to specific issues and contexts and bring with them a diversity of interests, worldviews and strategies for change.

Impact of pictorial health warning labels on smoking beliefs and perceptions among waterpipe smokers: an online randomised cross-over experimental study.

Purpose: Waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) has substantially increased among young people in Lebanon, who perceive WTS as safer than cigarettes. Health warning labels (HWLs) can inform the adverse effects associated with smoking. Thus, their application to waterpipe offers a favourable policy to limit WTS epidemic.

Prevalence of cigarette and waterpipe tobacco smoking among adults in three Eastern Mediterranean countries: a cross-sectional household survey.

Objectives: Tobacco smoking is on the rise in the Eastern Mediterranean region. In light of limited surveillance of smoking in the region, this study sought to understand the prevalence of cigarette and waterpipe smoking among adults and the factors associated with smoking in Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine (West Bank only).

Design, Setting And Participants: Household surveys were conducted with participants over the age of 18 in Lebanon (n=1680), Jordan (n=1925) and Palestine (n=1679) between June and August 2019.

From silos to policy coherence: tobacco control, unhealthy commodity industries and the commercial determinants of health.

Tobacco control has achieved remarkable successes, underpinned by the distinctive norms codified in Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Tobacco control's experience in managing conflicts of interest is increasingly recognised as relevant for addressing other non-communicable disease epidemics.

Waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) control policies: global analysis of available legislation and equity considerations.

Introduction: The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) offers guidance on evidence-based policies to reduce tobacco consumption and its burden of disease. Recently, it has provided guidance for alternative tobacco products, such as the waterpipe. Waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) is prevalent worldwide and policies to address it need to take into consideration its specificities as a mode of smoking.

"Scary and Effective, Definitely Pushes Me to Quit Smoking": Developing Waterpipe Pictorial Health Warnings Targeting Young Adults in Lebanon.

Introduction: Waterpipe (WP) smoking is the leading tobacco use method among young adults in Lebanon. WP use is harmful, yet misperceptions about its safety exist. Implementing pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) on WP products is a promising strategy to correct this misperception.

Influence of a University Tobacco-Free Policy on the Attitudes, Perceptions of Compliance, and Policy Benefit Among the University Students: A Pre-Post Investigation.

To evaluate the effectiveness of a university tobacco-free policy by examining differences in students' attitudes, perceptions of compliance and policy benefits, after one year of the policy's implementation. Cross-sectional studies were undertaken to collect data pre- and 1 year post-policy implementation. The two samples were selected using stratified random sampling.