Smoking is one of the major health problems and its disease complications are increasing day by day. Smoking associated diseases claims life of one in 10 adults globally. By 2030, if this scenario will continue, smoking will kill one in six people
The conclusion of the research study was that the prevalence of smoking is one quarter among the students of Applied Medical College Sciences, Al-Quwayiyah, Shaqra University. Smoking habits were significantly higher among males (
Current research & survey mentioned that Cigarette smoking and its grave consequences on health such as carcinoma of the oral cavity (larynx, esophagus, and tongue) lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and urinary bladder, are all well documented. Smoking is one of the major public health problems in Saudi Arabia and it is increasing at an alarming rate.
In Saudi Arabia as per records smoking is one of the major public health hazards
In Europe & western countries, anti-smoking campaigns and prevention for smoking habits & various programs with the help of media sources are carried out in extensively. Advertising along with pictures of cancer disease like throat & lung stick on cigarettes packets, prevalence of anti-smoking zones in public places and high cigarette cost acted as a best prevention method for smoking habits. There is also a major step towards the smoking hazards that introduced public health awareness into all levels of educational institutions.
This current research study was done to provide a baseline data on the smoking habits of students of the College of Applied Medical Sciences and to certain social, economic, health hazards awareness related to students.
The research study was started with 200 male students; they were randomly selected from the College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Quwayiyah in department of Nursing and Medical Laboratory Science. 50% of samples from each department were taken. All students were interviewed by using a structured questionnaire from identified colleges for data collection. This study was conducted between the period of six months.
Students were selected randomly from the common rooms, cafeterias and classes. Undergraduate students of age group (18-28) were included, whereas postgraduate students, house officers were not included. Undergraduate, and postgraduate students of any age, familiar with the English language and Arabic language enrolled in medical Laboratory and Nursing departments inside the college campus, were included in the study. Students those who refused to participate in the study were not included.
To achieve the appropriate sample size, the convenient sampling method was approved. The study objectives were explained to authorities and prior consent from departments concerned was taken. The data collectors were approached to the students in the target area for interviews. Students taking part in the study gave both written and verbal consent. A self-administered questionnaire was circulated among the study participants, and they were asked to complete it followed by the appropriate options. The filled in questionnaire was then returned to the researchers.
A 24-item framed questionnaire was developed including questions such as age of student, sex, marital status, grade level, religious beliefs, economic status, educational levels of their parents, exercise behavior, use of tobacco, frequency of smoking per day, smoking types, the idea of giving up, reasons to initiate smoking habits, the idea of smoking learnt from parents and siblings, smoking habits, the smoking health hazards, and various carcinoma caused by smoking,
The primary questionnaire was managed among 20 students in a pilot study and reviewed by removing confusing items. The questionnaires were conducted by a panel of experienced personnel for collecting and administrating data from 200 respondent, 180 (90%) completed questionnaires were included and the rest 20 (10%) questionnaires were removed due to incomplete reasons. The participants’ smoking habits were stated as current smokers and non-smoker. Smokers were noted as those people who are having regular smoking at least one cigarette,
Permission was taken from the dean of Applied Medical College of Science, Al-Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Prior to the commencement of the study, written and verbal consent was sought from each and every individual. Request for the name or any other private info was not made purposefully.
All analyses were performed using SPSS version 20. Identification numbers were given for the collected questionnaire for counting and organizing purposes. All questions were coded and then imported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. All variables categories were coded with numbers (for example, Category: medical laboratory as 1 and Nursing as 2). Descriptive statistics were used to compute the demographic data and it included: mean standard deviation and frequency.
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When enquired about their awareness of health hazards of smoking & its complications, 71% of the current smokers said that they were aware of the diseases, hazards & complications and 74% of them expressed desire to quit smoking permanently (
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74.5% | 149 | 25.5% | 51 |
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8.7% | 13 | 6.8% | 4 |
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58.3% | 87 | 55% | 28 |
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30.8% | 46 | 36.7% | 18 |
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2% | 3 | 1.5% | 2 |
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51% | 76 | 58.8% | 30 |
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40.26% | 60 | 35.2% | 18 |
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15.43% | 23 | 5.8% | 3 |
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None |
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5.3% | 8 | 1.9% | 1 |
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8.7% | 13 | 13.7% | 7 |
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7.3% | 11 | 15.6% | 8 |
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20.8% | 31 | 19.6% | 10 |
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34.8% | 52 | 33.3% | 17 |
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22.8% | 34 | 15.6% | 8 |
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None |
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11.9% | 20 | 13.8% | 8 |
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13.7% | 23 | 19.0% | 11 |
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15.5% | 26 | 12.1% | 7 |
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22.6% | 38 | 20.7% | 12 |
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26.8% | 45 | 29.3% | 17 |
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9.5% | 16 | 5.1% | 3 |
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None |
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Table Continue |
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55% | 82 | 49% | 25 |
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16.1% | 24 | 11.7% | 6 |
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28.8% | 43 | 39.3% | 20 |
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14.7% | 22 | 21.5% | 11 |
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53% | 79 | 60.7% | 31 |
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32.2% | 48 | 17.6% | 9 |
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34.2% | 51 | 29.4% | 15 |
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65.7% | 98 | 70.5% | 36 |
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33% | 17 | 35% | 18 | 40% | 20 |
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26% | 13 | 27% | 14 | 23% | 12 |
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12% | 6 | 14% | 7 | 10% | 5 |
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14% | 7 | 10% | 5 | 12% | 6 |
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15% | 8 | 14% | 7 | 15% | 8 |
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71% | 142 |
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12.5% | 25 |
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1.5% | 3 |
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15% | 30 |
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74% | 148 |
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26% | 15 |
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The prevalence of smoking habits was discussed in many international research journals & studies. [22-25]. Our research results show a smoking rate of 25% among students of the Applied Medical Science College, Al-Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia. In study of Hisham
This given study and other related similar studies insist the importance of antismoking campaign in every health care providing institutions. It also shows the importance of establishing an applicable antismoking program especially among health care students who are going to become a role model for many people in society. Ideally, health professional people always play a pivotal role in promoting healthy lifestyles and that’s why it’s necessary that they themselves are free of these habits. In conclusion, smoking is prevalent among students of the Applied Medical College, less than 18 years of age (6.8%) between 18-20 years of age (54.9%) between 21-24 years of age (36.7%), and 25 years or older (1.8%). Of the current smokers, the 19-21 and 22-24 age groups constitute the largest number of cigarettes smoked per day (
This study shows the prevalence of smoking habits in students of medical laboratory as well as Nursing departments of all age groups. Imitating others are found to be one of the most common factors contributing to the smoking habits among the students. There is a need for a review of educational programs especially the teaching of the life threatening diseases like as carcinoma of the oral cavity (larynx, esophagus, and tongue) lung cancer, chronic bronchitis which are most common in community and increasing day by day due to habits of smoking.
In most of cases it has been observed that they choose smoking habits due to opinion of friends, or their own experience, and they are also influenced by the commercial adds on TV, social media platform which is found quite strange so further educational interventions are necessary to improve students’ knowledge, understanding on smoking habits, and to correct some wrong behaviors related to tobacco,
Further research and investigation may be required in the future to follow up the habit of smoking habits among students and to assess the smoking control program that will be taken at College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Quwayiyah in the near future. The mosque can play a role in a religious oriented program to prevent smoking habits in Saudi Arabia.