A nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted in Saudi Arabia from March 2023 to January 2024 reported that 50% of the 10,082 adult participants were exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) (95% CI 48.9% to 50.9%). This prevalence reflects any reported exposure to tobacco smoke from cigarettes, water pipes, or a combination of products.
Exposure occurred most commonly in the home, where 57.1% of exposed respondents reported SHS (95% CI 55.8% to 58.5%). Public social venues also contributed: cafes, coffee stores and tea houses accounted for 16.2% of exposures (95% CI 15.2% to 17.2%).
Regarding product types, the most frequent pattern was exposure to a combination of cigarettes and water pipes (42.0%, 95% CI 40.5% to 43.2%), followed by exposure to regular cigarettes alone (27.4%, 95% CI 26.1% to 28.6%). The study reports that nearly three quarters (about 74%) of those exposed expressed dissatisfaction with their exposure.
Knowledge that SHS poses health risks was reported by 56.0% of respondents (95% CI 55.5% to 57.4%), indicating that close to half of the surveyed adults did not report awareness of SHS-related health harms. Despite this, a substantial majority—86.5% (95% CI 85.9% to 87.2%)—supported stronger laws to prevent public smoking.
Respondents identified their primary sources for information on SHS health risks. Social media was the most commonly reported source (75.0%, 95% CI 74.2% to 76.4%), followed by friends and family (57.9%, 95% CI 56.6% to 59.3%). These channels were the leading means by which participants learned about SHS risks according to the survey data.
The analysis identified several factors independently associated with increased odds of SHS exposure:
These associations indicate demographic, socioeconomic and behavioral correlates of SHS exposure in the sampled population.
The study also examined predictors of inadequate awareness regarding SHS health risks. Key associations reported include:
These findings suggest that awareness deficits are concentrated in specific demographic and household contexts.
This investigation used a cross-sectional design with non-probability sampling to recruit adults aged 18 years or older who hold Saudi nationality and reside in Saudi Arabia. The analysed sample comprised 10,082 participants; 53% were female and 62% were aged 18–30 years. Additional sample characteristics included 36% married, 56% living with their children, and 49% living in households of three to four people. About 14% of participants reported comorbid conditions such as heart disease, diabetes mellitus and chronic respiratory disease. The survey measured prevalence, locations and product types of SHS exposure, self-reported awareness of SHS health risks, and support for stronger smoking restrictions.
The survey findings indicate a high burden of SHS exposure in Saudi Arabia, particularly within households and among males, e-cigarette users, the unemployed and those with lower educational attainment. Public knowledge of SHS-related health risks was limited, with only just over half of respondents recognizing these risks, although most supported stronger public smoking laws. The most commonly used channels for SHS risk information were social media and personal networks (friends and family). These results highlight priorities for public health interventions: targeting household exposure, improving awareness among demographic groups with lower knowledge, and leveraging prevalent information channels to disseminate accurate SHS risk messaging.
Note: The source article provided prevalence estimates, confidence intervals, and odds ratios as reported above. No further trial-level details, dates beyond the study period, or authorship information were reported in the source text.