Contextualizing prohibitors to quitting tobacco use among university students in Qatar: A qualitative study

INTRODUCTION Quitting tobacco contributes significantly to the reduction in the risk of developing multiple diseases and therefore increases life expectancy.This qualitative study aimed to investigate the barriers prohibiting university students in Qatar from quitting tobacco use.METHODS The study was conducted in the largest national university in Qatar, which joined the fifth cohort of the Tobacco-Free Generation Campus Initiative, a program of the American Cancer Society's Tobacco Control Center that provided funding to support the implementation of 100% smoke-and tobacco-free policies on university campuses.Following an inductive approach, a sample of 20 students was recruited through posted flyers, social media announcements, and snowball sampling.Semi-structured interviews were carried out with either current or former tobacco user students.Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was employed.RESULTS Major prohibitors to quitting tobacco use were: perceived willingness and readiness to quit tobacco use, misconceptions about tobacco-related health risks, relying on tobacco use to cope with stress and negative emotions, being discouraged by friends to quit tobacco use, family tobacco use, and the masculine culture that praises male smoking behavior.CONCLUSIONS Our study findings point out the different ecologies shaping barriers to quitting tobacco use among young adults in Qatar.A deeper comprehension of these barriers can pave the way for effective culturally tailored interventions and tobacco-free campus policies.