Abstract：
Tobacco use poses significant public health concerns, linked to various mental and physical health outcomes. Iraq has a high prevalence of smoking, predominantly with traditional cigarettes, but there is also growing popularity of electronic cigarettes and waterpipes among younger and middle-aged adults. This study aims to explore the perceptions and usage of traditional cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and waterpipes among this population in Iraq. A descriptive study was conducted among 402 young and middle-aged adults (50.25% females), aged between 18 and 45 years, with a mean age of 25.88 (SD = 7.27). For the data collection, an online questionnaire was developed utilizing distribution channels on common social networking platforms. The results showed that 41.79% of respondents have used traditional cigarettes, while 31.1% of participants reported that they use electronic cigarettes. Ninety-four per cent of respondents acknowledged that they use waterpipes. The results also indicated that a significant proportion believe that using electronic cigarettes is either much more harmful or more harmful than traditional cigarettes. Participants commonly perceived all three types of tobacco products as highly harmful, including secondhand smoke, addictive qualities, and popularity among peers. Additionally, significant differences in perceptions emerged between smokers and nonsmokers regarding electronic cigarettes and traditional cigarettes, although no such differences were observed for waterpipes. These findings contribute to understanding the attitudes toward different forms of tobacco use among respondents, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address the perceived harm associated with tobacco products.
摘要：
烟草使用造成重大的公共卫生问题，与各种身心健康结果有关。伊拉克的吸烟率很高，主要使用传统香烟，但是，在年轻人和中年人中，电子烟和水烟也越来越受欢迎。本研究旨在探讨人们对传统香烟的认知和用法，电子烟,伊拉克人口中的水管。对402名中青年(50.25%为女性)进行了描述性研究，年龄在18至45岁之间，平均年龄为25.88（SD=7.27）。对于数据收集，利用常见社交网络平台上的分销渠道开发了一份在线问卷。结果显示,41.79%的受访者使用过传统香烟,而31.1%的参与者报告说他们使用电子烟。94%的受访者承认他们使用水管。结果还表明，很大一部分人认为使用电子香烟比传统香烟危害更大或更有害。参与者通常认为所有三种类型的烟草产品都是高度有害的，包括二手烟,上瘾的品质，以及在同龄人中的受欢迎程度。此外,吸烟者和非吸烟者对电子烟和传统烟的看法存在显著差异，尽管在水管上没有观察到这种差异。这些发现有助于了解受访者对不同形式烟草使用的态度，强调需要有针对性的干预措施，以解决与烟草产品相关的感知危害。
