Factors Affecting Hookah Smoking Trend in the Society: A Review Article

An increase in hookah smoking is considered to be a serious health problem in societies with different cigarette smoking patterns. Thus, determinants of increase in this behavior are needed to be identified. This study aimed to review the articles related to the causes of hookah smoking in the society.
This study reviewed the scientific references of authentic databases and journals, including Web of Science, PubMed, Iranian Databases, Elsevier, Embase, Scopus, MEDLINE, CINAHL, CDC, and World Health Organization (WHO). Overall, 84 scientific studies conducted during 1990-2015 were collected.
Several studies on the prevalence of smoking hookah and its associated factors in the society suggested that numerous factors played a role in interest in smoking hookah. The most common reasons for individuals’ inclination to smoke hookah were positive viewpoints toward smoking hookah, wrong beliefs about its low risks, presumed lack of addiction, social acceptance, ease of access, wrong cultural habits, and regulative weakness.
Evidence indicated that a large spectrum of individual and social factors was effective in various levels of hookah consumption. Besides, it seems that single-component interventions and those solely based on individual factors could not result in effective prevention. On the other hand, interventions based on ecological approaches are suggested in this regard. Overall, it is essential to focus on the exclusion of positive viewpoints toward hookah, develop the ability to say “no,” relaxation, and resistance against temptations to smoke hookah, culturalization, and regulation of strong laws.