Akl et al. BMC Public Health 2011, 11:244 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/244 Table 1 Summary of included studies Page 5 of 12 Study & setting Middle East Tamim 2003 [23] Lebanon, 2000 Bachir 2008 [39] Lebanon, 1997-1998 Riachy 2008 [63] Lebanon, 2003-2005 Chaaya 2004 [22] Lebanon Chaaya 2004 [41] Lebanon, 2003 Zoughaib 2004 [17] Lebanon, 2002 Chaaya 2003 [40] Lebanon, 2000 Baddoura 2001 [33] Lebanon, 1997 Tamim 2007 [16,18] Lebanon, 2002-2003 Tamim 2003 [23] Lebanon, 2000-2001 Al-Haddad 2003[21] Bahrain Memon 2000[34] Kuwait, 1996 Behbehani 2004 [36] Kuwait, Bahrain, 2000 Taha 2007 [19] Saudi Arabia, 2001 AL-Turki 2006 [24] Saudi Arabia, 2005 Milaat 1999 [35] Saudi Arabia Mandil 2007 [25] UAE, 2004-2005 Al-Mulla 2008 [20] Arabic Gulf, 2001-2004 Ward 2006 [37] Syria, 2004 Maziak 2005 [38] Syria Sophomore university students (52% males); N = 416 Current: 28% Population Parents of school students (mean age 13,52% males); N = 625 Pregnant women delivering in hospitals (mean age 28); N = 934 General population; N = 37579 Pregnant women in primary care clinics (mean age 27); N = 864 Teenage students (mean age 16; 57% males); N = 1461 Pregnant women delivering in hospitals (mean age 28.1); N = 576 Lebanese adults (M/F ratio 0.95; mean age 40); N = 727 School students (45% males; mean age 15); N = 2443 University students (mean age 21; 41% males); N = 1964 Secondary school boys (mean age 16.5); N = 600 Waterpipe: 13% Government employees; N = 3859 Physicians (65% males; mean age 45); N = 1529 Waterpipe use prevalence Waterpipe only: 9% Cigarettes & waterpipe: 18% Life time: 12% During pregnancy: 6% Waterpipe only: 4% More than one form: 20% Ex smokers: 15% Before pregnancy: 7% During pregnancy: 4% Ever: 66% Regular: 24% Ever: 18% Current: 15% Daily: 9% Current: 26% Ever: 65% During pregnancy: 6% Waterpipe only: 21.1% Cigarettes & waterpipe: 11% Ever: 63% (men 57%; women 69%) Kuwait: 12% (M: 17%; F: 3%) Bahrain: 6% (M: 9%; F: 3%) Male students (mean age 17) N = 1240; male teachers Students: current 9%, former 4%; Teachers: current 4%, former (mean age 35); N = 142 1% Male medical students (mean age 21.8); N = 322 Ever: 8% Female teaching staff and employees (age range 23- 62); N = 299 Current: 11% Students in 13 colleges (39% males; mean age 21); N = 1057 Overall: 6% (M 11%; F 3%) School students with ages 13-15; N = 32356 Bahrain: 15%, Kuwait: 16%, Oman: 9%, Qatar: 14%, Saudi Arabia: 10%, UAE: 15%, Yemen: 15% Adults residing in Aleppo (45% men; mean age 35); N = 2038 Current: 12% Occasionally 11% Adults residing in Aleppo (46% males; mean age 34); Overall (current): 9.1% (male: 16%, female: 4%) N = 1021