Tobacco Use and Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke amongst Pregnant Women in the United Arab Emirates: The Mutaba’ah Study

Mohammed Nagdi Taha, Zaki Al-Ghumgham, Nasloon Ali, Rami H. Al-Rifai, Iffat Elbarazi, Fatima Al-Maskari, Omar El-Shahawy, Luai A. Ahmed and Tom Loney
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Mohammed Nagdi Taha: College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai P.O. Box 505055, United Arab Emirates
Zaki Al-Ghumgham: College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai P.O. Box 505055, United Arab Emirates
Nasloon Ali: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 17666, United Arab Emirates
Rami H. Al-Rifai: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 17666, United Arab Emirates
Iffat Elbarazi: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 17666, United Arab Emirates
Fatima Al-Maskari: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 17666, United Arab Emirates
Omar El-Shahawy: Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Use Section, Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
Luai A. Ahmed: Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 17666, United Arab Emirates
Tom Loney: College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai P.O. Box 505055, United Arab Emirates

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 12, 1-12

Abstract: Self-reported tobacco use is high in the male adult Emirati population (males ~36% vs. females ~3%); however, there are minimal data on tobacco use or exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) during pregnancy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study investigated the prevalence of, and factors associated with, tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) amongst pregnant women in the UAE. Baseline cross-sectional data were analysed from the Mutaba’ah Study. Expectant mothers completed a self-administered questionnaire collecting sociodemographic information, maternal tobacco use, and ETS exposure during antenatal visits at three hospitals in Al Ain (UAE; May 2017–February 2021). Amongst 8586 women included in the study, self-reported tobacco use during pregnancy was low (0.7%), paternal tobacco use was high (37.9%), and a third (34.8%) of expectant mothers were exposed to ETS (28.0% at home only). Pregnant women who were employed (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19–1.52), with childbirth anxiety (aOR 1.21, 95% CI 1.08–1.36), and with an increased number of adults living in the same household (aOR 1.02 95% CI 1.01–1.03) were independently more likely to be exposed to ETS. Pregnant women with higher education levels (aOR 0.84, 95% CI 0.75–0.94) and higher gravidity (aOR 0.95, 95% CI 0.92–0.99) were less likely to be exposed to ETS. Public health efforts targeting smoking cessation amongst husbands and promoting smoke-free homes are warranted to help reduce prenatal ETS exposure in the UAE.

Keywords: birth; cohort; early-life exposures; indoor air pollution; mother; pregnancy; tobacco smoke pollution; tobacco use; United Arab Emirates (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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