sdj-10020

Prevalence of cigarette smoking among Sulaimani University students

Zhian Salah Ramzi*

College of Medicine, University of Sulaimani

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17656/sdj.10020

Abstract

Objectives: The study was carried out to determine the prevalence of cigarette smoking and find out the socio-demographic correlates of smoking among Sulaimani University students.

Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October to November 2007 on 2750 students in Sulaimani University. A systematic stratified sampling technique was used. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection on age and gender of students, college, years of study, and age of starting smoking.

Results: Out of 2722 respondents, 302 students were smokers giving a prevalence rate of 11.1%. The prevalence of smokers was significantly (P< 0.001) higher in males than females (19% and 1% respectively). The highest rate of smokers was among the age group 23-26 years in both sexes. About 10% of students started smoking at age less than 12 years, 8.2% at age 12-17 year, 50% at 18-22, and 31.7% at 23-26 years.

Conclusions: The prevalence of smoking was moderate. More than half of students started smoking during their study years in the university. Males and students in third and fourth academic years were more likely to smoke. The results provide baseline data to develop an anti-smoking program to limit smoking in the university.

Keywords: Prevalence, smoking, Sulaimani university, students

References:

1.      Ezzati M, Lopez AD, Rodgers A, Vander HS, Murray CJ. Selected major risk factors and global and regional burden of disease. Lancet. 2002; 360: 1347-60.

2.      World Health Organisation. WHO report on global tobacco epidemic 2008: the M Power package? Geneva: WHO; 2010.

3.      Marshall L, Schooley M, Ryan H, Cox P, Easton A, Healton C, et al. Youth tobacco surveillance, United States 2001-2002. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2006; 55: 1-56.

4.      Steptoe A, Wardle J, Cui W, Baban A, Glass K, Pelzer K, et al. An international comparison of tobacco smoking,  beliefs and risk awareness in university students from 23 countries. Addiction. 2002; 97:1561– 71.

5.      MackayJ, Eriksen M.The tobacco atlas. Geneva: WHO; 2002.

6.      Anthonisen NR, Skeans MA, Wise RA, Manfreda J, Kanner RE, Connett JE, et al. The effect of smoking cessation intervention on 14.5-year mortality: a randomized clinical trial. Ann Intern Med. 2005; 142:233-9.

7.      Peto R, Darby S, Deo H, Silcocks P, Whitly E, Doll R. Smoking, smoking cessation, and lung cancer in the UK since 1950: combination of national statistics with two case-control studies. BMJ. 2000;321:323–9.

8.      Alansari B. Prevalence of cigarette smoking among male Kuwait University undergraduate students. Psychol Rep. 2005; 96:1009–10.

9.      Metintas S, Sariboyaci MA, Nuhoglu S, Metintas M, Kalyoncu C, Etiz S, et al. Smoking patterns of university students in Eskisehir, Turkey. Public Health. 1998;112:261-4.

10.    Kofahi MM, Haddad LG. Perceptions of lung cancer and smoking among college  students in Jordan. J Transcul Nurs. 2005, 16:245–54.

11.    Haddad LG, Malak MZ. Smoking habits and attitudes towards smoking among university students in Jordan. Int J Nurs Stud. 2002; 39:793-802.

12.    Almas K, Al-Hawish A, Al-Khamis W. Oral hygiene practices, smoking habit, and self-perceived oral malodor among dental students. J Contemp Dent Pract. 2003; 4:77–90.

13.    Tamim H, Terro A, Kassem H, Ghazi A, Abou Khamis T, Abdul Hay MM, et al. Tobacco use by university students, Lebanon, 2001. Addiction.  2003;98:933–9.

14.    Saatci E, Inan S, Bozdemir N, Akpinar E, Ergun G. Predictors of smoking behavior of first year university students: questionnaire survey. CMAJ. 2004;45:76–9. 

15.    Ahmadi J, Khalili H, Jooybar R, Namazi N, Aghaei PM. Cigarette smoking among Iranian medical students, resident physicians and attending physicians. Eur J Med Res. 2001; 6:406–8.

16.    Hasim TJ. Smoking habits of students in college of applied medical science, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Med J. 2000; 21:76–80.

17.    Maziak W, Mzayek F. The dynamics of tobacco smoking among male educated youths in  Aleppo, Syria. Eur J Epidemiol. 2000; 16:769–72.

18.    Maziak W, Hammal F, Rastam S, Asfar T, Eissenberg T, bachir ME, et al. Characteristics of cigarette smoking and quitting among university students in Syria. Prev Med. 2004; 39:330–6.

19.    Mohammed AO. Survey of cigarette smoking among Sulaimani  University students, Kurdistan- Iraq. Zanco J Med Sci. 2008;12:137-42.

Type to enter text

20.    Mahmood S, Saleh AM, Belal KH. Prevalence of Cigarette Smoking among Hawler Medical University Students 2009. Zanco J Med Sci. 2009; 13: 2-6. 

21.    Jambaz SJ. Epidemiological survey of smoking habits among Salahaddin University students. MSc thesis. Salahaddin University (College of Medicine). Iraq; 2002. 

22.    Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation. Central Organization for Statistics and Information Technology. Annual Per capita Income in Iraq; 2010.

23.    Siziya S, Muula AS, Rudatsikira E. Correlates of current smoking among in-school adolescents in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Conflict and Health. 2007; 1:13.

24.    Abdulrahman M. Risk factors survey for noncommunicable diseases in Duhok City. Duhok Med J. 2010;4:69-83.

25.    Mousawi A. The prevalence of smoking among Karbala/Iraq University students in Iraq in 2005. Tobacco Use Insight. 2014; 7:9-14 

26.    MoH, MoP, WHO. Iraq Family Health Survey 2006/7. Ministry of Health / Iraq,  Ministry of Health/Kurdistan, Kurdistan Regional Statistics Office, WHO/Iraq Office; 2007.

27.    Alghabban SI. Prevalence of current smoking among students in University of Karbala. Karbala Journal of Medicine. 2009;2:645–62.

28.    Al-Kubaisy W, Abdulla NN, Al-Nuaimy H, Halawany G, Kurdy S. Epidemiological studies on tobacco smoking among university students in damascus, Syrian Arab Repuplic. 2012;18: 723-7.

29.    Alomarri Q, Barrieshi-Nusair K, Said K. Smoking prevalence and its effect on dental health attitudes and behaviour among dental students. Med Princ Pract. 2006;15:195-9.

30.    Khabour OF, Alzoubi KH, Eissenberg T, Mehrota P, Azab M, Carroll M, et al. Waterpipe tobacco and cigarette smoking among university students in Jordan. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2012;16:986-92.

31.    Khader YS, Alsadi AA. Smoking habits among university students in Jordan: prevalence and associated factors. East Mediterr Health J. 2008; 14:897-904.

32.    Maziak W, Hammal F, Rastam S, Asfar T, Eissenberg T, bachir ME, et al. Characteristics of cigarette smoking and quitting among university students in Syria. Prev Med. 2004;39:330-6.

33.    Haghdoost AA, Moosazadeh M. The prevalence of cigarette smoking among students of Iran's universities:

A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Res Med Sci.

2013;18:717-25

34.    Mahfouz MS, Alsanosy RM, Gaffar AM, Makeen A. Tobacco use among University students of Jazan Region: Gender differences and associated factors. Biomed Res Int. 2014, Article ID 27923: 7 pages.

35.    Nasirian M, Ziaaddini H, Assadollahi S. Smoking intensity and its relation to general health of the students of Kerman unoiversity of medical sciences, Iran. Addict Health. 2013;5:102-7.

36.    Almutairi KM. Prevalence of tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke among Saudi medical students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. J Community Health. 2014; 6 [Epub ahead of print].

37.    Almerie MO, Matar HE, Salam M, Morad A, Abdulaal M, Koudsi A et al. Cigarettes and waterpipe smoking among medical students in Syria: a cross-sectional study. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2008;12:1085-91.

Full Article - PDF

 © The Authors, published by University of Sulaimani, College of Dentistry

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.