Tobacco smoking in Egypt: a scoping literature review of its epidemiology and control measures.

BACKGROUND

According to World Health Organization (WHO) reports, the prevalence of smoking is increasing in many developing countries, including Egypt. The aim of this study is to summarize the published data in the literature about tobacco smoking in Egypt.

METHODS

A computerized literature search of PubMed and relevant Egyptian journals was conducted using the relevant keywords. The findings of retrieved studies were extracted and discussed in a narrative approach.

RESULTS

Our search retrieved 44 relevant studies. The most updated prevalence of tobacco smoking in Egypt is 22% in 2010 and is increasing. Highly significant odds ratios were reported for sibling, parent, and peer smoking as risk factors for smoking. Cardiovascular disorders, malignant tumors, and erectile dysfunction are common complications of smoking in the Egyptian population. Efforts to control tobacco smoking are available, but inadequate.

CONCLUSIONS

Tobacco smoking is a prevalent health problem in Egypt, associated with cardiovascular disorders and malignant tumors. Health education programmes should be delivered through mass media and school-based programmes to reach a large section of the Egyptian population.