Sarah S. Monshi

Background: Smoking is common in Saudi Arabia, particularly among men. Religion plays a protective role against smoking and serves as a motivator for quitting. Faith-based interventions have shown positive effects in supporting smoking cessation among Muslims who smoke; however, few studies have tested their acceptability when delivered via mobile phone messaging. Objective: The aim of this pilot randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability, as well as the preliminary effectiveness of an Islamic-based smoking cessation intervention delivered via WhatsApp messaging in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study was a 2-arm randomized controlled trial involving adult Muslim smokers who used cigarettes, waterpipe, or both. Participants were recruited from the Kafa organization antismoking clinic in Saudi Arabia. Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention or control group. The intervention messages were codeveloped with religious leaders and informed by formative research with Muslim current and former smokers. The intervention group received both religious and smoking-related health messages, whereas the control group received smoking-related health messages only. The messages were manually delivered daily by trained research assistants. The intervention lasted for 21 days, during which participants received 2 messages per day, one in the morning and one in the evening. The primary outcomes were the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. Results: A total of 34 participants were recruited, resulting in a recruitment rate of 68% (34/50). The overall retention rate was 64.7% (22/34). Both groups received 44 WhatsApp messages over 21 days. Message engagement was high, with 88.2% (15/17) of participants in the intervention group and 82.4% (14/17) in the control group, reporting that they read the daily messages. The intervention was acceptable and was perceived as helpful in supporting smoking cessation. Complete abstinence from both cigarettes and waterpipe was slightly higher in the intervention group (4/17, 23.5%) than in the control group (3/17, 17.6%). Cigarette abstinence was also modestly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (5/16, 31.3% vs 3/16, 18.8%). Among 8 waterpipe users at baseline, 2 reported waterpipe abstinence at follow-up, both in the intervention group. No statistical comparisons of smoking cessation outcomes between the groups were conducted because the study focused on feasibility and included a small sample size. These findings were descriptive and should be considered exploratory rather than evidence of intervention effectiveness. Conclusions: This Islamic faith-based intervention, delivered via WhatsApp messaging, was acceptable and may be feasible for a full-scale trial, provided that recruitment, participant retention, and follow-up data collection are improved. The pilot study provides important lessons for intervention design and implementation of a future adequately powered trial.

BACKGROUND Smoking is common in Saudi Arabia, particularly among men. Religion plays a protective role against smoking and serves as a motivator for quitting. Faith-based interventions have shown positive effects in supporting smoking cessation among Muslims who smoke, but few studies have tested their acceptability when delivered via mobile phone messaging. OBJECTIVE The aim of this pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an Islamic-based smoking cessation intervention delivered via WhatsApp messaging in Saudi Arabia. METHODS This study was a two-arm RCT involving adult Muslim smokers who used cigarettes, waterpipe, or both, with participants randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention or control group. The intervention messages were co-designed with religious leaders and informed by formative research with Muslim current and former smokers. The intervention group received both religious and smoking-related health messages, while the control group received smoking-related health messages only. The intervention lasted for 21 days, during which participants received two messages per day, one in the morning and one in the evening. The primary outcomes were the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. RESULTS A total of 34 participants were recruited, Two-thirds of whom remained in the study for the full study period. Both groups received 44 messages over 21 days. Message engagement was high, with most participants reading the daily messages (88.2% in the intervention group and 82.4% in the control group). The intervention was acceptable and helpful in supporting smoking reduction or cessation. Abstinence from all tobacco products was 20.6%, with a slightly higher rate in the intervention group (23.5%) than in the control group (17.6%). Cigarette abstinence was 35.3% in the intervention group and 23.5% in the control group, while waterpipe abstinence was much higher but equal in both groups (76.5%). Among those who continued smoking, modest reductions in cigarette and waterpipe consumption were reported in both groups. CONCLUSIONS This Islamic faith-based intervention, delivered via WhatsApp messaging, was feasible and highly acceptable, showing promising effects on smoking cessation and reduction. However, these findings require verification in a larger, fully powered effectiveness trial. CLINICALTRIAL Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Trial Registration No. ACTRN12625001413415 https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=390880&showOriginal=true&isReview=true

Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to acquiring new behaviors, including tobacco use, especially in familiar and social gatherings and celebrations where they witness certain behaviors like waterpipe use. Saudi Arabia enhances preventive and therapeutic healthcare services. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of tobacco use and identify its predictors among adolescents aged 13-15 years in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, which was conducted in Saudi Arabia in 2022. The overall prevalence of tobacco use among Saudi Arabian adolescents was 8.8%, where 7.5% of the participant females versus 10% of the males use tobacco products. Age and lower spending were significantly associated with higher evidence of smoking among youth (P < 0.05). Moreover, various predictors ofsmoking behavior among Saudi adolescents e.g., exposure to secondhand smoke, elevate the likelihood of the adolescents in Saudi Arabia to use tobacco (OR 1.849, CI 1.450-2.358). Additionally, different kinds of media messages target this age category as well as the adolescent's perception of smoking (OR 1.319, CI 1.021-1.705). Increased efforts are needed to address the harmful health and social impacts of smoking among adolescents in Saudi Arabia. Such efforts may include educational health campaigns targeting adolescents at their schools or in public places and mass gatherings.

Introduction: Tobacco use is a major global public health challenge, causing millions of deaths annually. In Saudi Arabia, increasing adult smoking rates highlight the need for improved tobacco control measures.Aim: This study examined trends in tobacco use among youth in Saudi Arabia from 2007 to 2022, evaluating shifts in the determinants of tobacco use and the effectiveness of control measures over time.Methods: We analyzed three waves of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) conducted in Saudi Arabia (2007, n = 2,574; 2010, n = 1,797; 2022, n = 5,610). The GYTS uses a two-stage cluster sampling design to select students aged 13–15 from intermediate schools, with a focus on tobacco use trends and related behaviors.Results: This study revealed a substantial decline in current tobacco product usage, dropping significantly from 15.9% in 2007 to 9.4% in 2022 (B = −0.44, p = 0.030), and a decrease in exposure to second-hand smoke from 27.9% in 2007 to 18.1% in 2022. However, the proportion of individuals aged 7 years or younger who initiated cigarette smoking rose from 9.1% in 2007 to 17.1% in 2022. There was a 6.4% increase among female youth who thought that smoking made people feel comfortable across this time period (B = 0.55, p = 0.033), and this population demonstrated a significant decrease in the intention to quit smoking from 65.7 to 52.2% (B = −0.895, p = 0.010).Conclusion: Although overall tobacco use decreased, alarming trends, emerged, such as earlier smoking initiation and declining intentions to quit among females. Future interventions should focus on preventing early tobacco use initiation by addressing misconceptions, promoting cessation, and enforcing restrictions on youth access to tobacco products.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to investigate the impact of health technology on patient experience in Saudi Arabia. Methods: The PubMed database was searched for relevant studies published between January 2000 and December 2022 using certain eligibility criteria. The quality of studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist. Results: A total of 30 studies were included in this systematic review. Of the 30 studies, 25 were cross-sectional in design. Most of the studies focused on patient satisfaction as a primary indicator of patient experience with health technology. Notably, 93.3% of the included studies reported high patient satisfaction. Conclusion: The findings of this systematic review highlight the growing adoption of health technology in Saudi Arabia, indicating a commitment to improving access to healthcare and evaluating patient perspectives. Patient satisfaction with health technology was confirmed. Thus, investing in and endorsing health technologies can significantly improve patient experience.

Introduction: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has increased globally among adolescents. However, data on its use among adolescents in Saudi Arabia remain limited. Therefore, this study describes the characteristics and factors associated with e-cigarette use in this population....

Introduction: The epidemic of tobacco use poses one of the most severe public health challenges globally, responsible for over 8 million deaths annually according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This study investigates the factors associated with tobacco use among Saudi Arabian youth...

Introduction: Saudi Arabia has begun reforming its government-run health care system to increase efficiency and reduce costs. One effort is the adoption of an electronic prescribing system (Wasfaty) and outsourcing pharmaceutical services from government-run clinics to community pharmacies (CP). This study aims to compare satisfaction with pharmaceutical services offered in the two systems. Materials and methods This cross-sectional observational study used existing survey data collected from patients (≥15 years of age) visiting government primary health care centers from January 2022 to June 2022. Satisfaction with three pharmaceutical services (availability of medications, pharmacist’s explanation of the prescription, and waiting time to get medications) were the main outcomes. Results: The study comprised 91,317 participants, 74.06 % of them were CP/Wasfaty users. CP/Wasfaty patients had lower odds of satisfaction with the three pharmaceutical services: availability of medications (OR = 0.49, 95 % CI = 0.47–0.51), pharmacists’ explanation of prescription (OR = 0.55, 95 % CI = 0.53–0.58), and waiting time to get medications (OR = 0.81, 95 % CI = 0.75–0.88). Additional findings showed variations in satisfaction levels based on demographic factors and clinic types. Conclusions: The significant differences observed in satisfaction levels based on demographic characteristics and type of clinics visited emphasize the importance of tailoring pharmaceutical services to meet the specific needs and expectations of different patient populations.