Social and substance use correlates of adult hookah use, 2016

Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of the correlates and frequency of hookah use among a national sample of U.S. adults aged 18-44. The study uses data from Wave 10 of the Truth Initiative Young Adult Cohort Study and examines social, tobacco-related, and substance use correlates of hookah use. The study builds on previous research on hookah use patterns and correlates in college students and young adults, and aims to expand the knowledge of hookah use in a broader age group.

Key Points:

* The study finds that 20.5% of respondents ever used hookah and 2.5% were past 30-day users.
* Ever users had significantly higher prevalence of cigarette, cigar, LCC, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigarette use compared to never hookah users.
* Past 30-day hookah users had significantly higher use rates of past 30-day marijuana and other drugs compared to non-current users.
* Respondents who completed some college were more likely to be ever hookah users than never users.
* Respondents of non-white race/ethnicity and males were significantly more likely to report past 30-day use when controlling for other demographic variables and age at first use.
* Three-quarters of ever users used hookah on 10 or fewer separate occasions in their lives.
* About half of past 30-day users used hookah on 1-2 days in the past month.
* Past 30-day hookah users were significantly more likely to have visited a hookah lounge/bar/restaurant at least 10 times compared to non-current users.

Main Message:
The study highlights the prevalence and correlates of hookah use among U.S. adults. The findings suggest that hookah use is associated with concurrent tobacco, e-cigarette, and substance use, as well as peer hookah use and self-identification as a social/occasional smoker. The study also notes that even infrequent hookah sessions can expose users to health risks. The study's findings can inform interventions to reduce hookah use in youth and adults, especially given low levels of perceived harm and addictiveness by users.

Abudayyeha, Haneen S, and Theodore L Wagenerct. “Social and Substance Use Correlates of Adult Hookah Use, 2016.” Addictive Behaviors 79 (2018): 39–44.