Supplementary file 1_Toward equity in smoking cessation: evidence from Saudi Arabia’s 2022 Global Youth Tobacco Survey through the Lens of Levesque’s Access-to-Health-Care Framework.docx

Uncertainty or lower perceived harm regarding exposure to others’ smoking was independently associated with greater odds of receiving help or advice to quit. Younger adolescents, particularly 13-year-olds, had higher odds of reporting a quit attempt than older tobacco users.</p>Conclusion<p>Even though 23.1% reported receiving some form of help quitting, still 20.7% did not report quitting attempt. This pattern raises concerns with respect to passive service models that rely on individual willingness.

Effective tobacco control efforts should go beyond passive service availability, integrating proactive, school-based cessation support, clear harm-awareness messaging, and outreach targeting especially uncertain older tobacco users’ youth. Ensuring equitable access requires early, structured, and tailored interventions that can actively engage adolescents before they seek help. Findings underscore the importance of improving youth-centered cessation surveillance, access measurement, and service equity to better understand social and service-related barriers.</p>