Smoking habits and attitudes towards smoking among university students in Jordan
Author: Haddad LG, Malak MZ
Source:
International journal of nursing studies, 39(8), 793-802.
The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of smoking and to describe
the habits, attitudes, and practices related to smoking among students of Jordan
University of Science and Technology (JUST), Irbid, Jordan. Students (n = 650)
were recruited in randomly selected, cluster samples drawn from the medical and
engineering colleges of JUST. They were made familiar with a modified Arabic
version of the World Health Organisation Smoking Questionnaire and the Attitudes
towards Smoking Questionnaire to study their habits, attitudes, and beliefs in
relation to smoking. The study revealed that the prevalence of smoking was 28.6%
(50.2% among males and 6.5% among females). Friends, not family, were the main
source of the first smoking, and this most often occurred after 15 years of age
(82.3%). Males preferred smoking in the cafeteria, females in the bathroom. The
main advantage of smoking for males was calming down, while for females it was
independence. Non-smokers chose not to smoke because of health and hatred of the
habit. The non-smokers had more positive attitudes against smoking and were more
aware of the adverse effects of smoking. The reasons smokers gave for starting
smoking were pleasure, followed by stress and curiosity. Two-thirds of smokers
intended to quit smoking in the future. Some smokers disagreed with some
criticisms against smoking, and reasons why they did not want to quit included
social attitudes, addiction, and not knowing how to quit. Results of this study
may provide baseline data to develop an anti-smoking program in the university
and encourage policy makers to limit smoking in the university by strengthening
the policies against smoking.