Cigarette smoking among students at the university of tuzla.

INTRODUCTION: Cigarette smoking among students is greatly widespread. Smoking prevalence ranges from 28% to 67% for students, respectively, from 19% to 34% for female students. AIM: The aim of this survey was to investigate the smoking habits of students, who are studying at three faculties at the University of Tuzla in academic Year 2012/2013 and to investigate whether there is a difference in smoking habits of students from different faculties and observed by gender. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included a total of 254 students, 170 females (66.93%) and 84 male patients (33.07%). A representative sample consisted of students of three faculties of the University of Tuzla.
RESULTS: The conducted analyzes have shown that in this sample 22.8% of current smokers, and 7.8% are former smokers who now no longer smoke. Due to the adopted smoking habits, which some students began to adopt in the age of 13, in 47.5% part of students occasionally was observed some symptoms (cough, etc.) which are attributed to smoking. The analysis showed no statistically significant gender difference in smoking habits. Although the trend of smoking in the population students progression, one and the same quantity was well as male colleagues. We did not find any statistically significant difference in onset of adopting smoking habits.
CONCLUSION: The analyzes have shown that in this sample 22.8% of current smokers, and 7.8% were former smokers who now no longer smoke. The analysis showed no statistically significant gender difference in smoking habits of all students. There were no statistically significant differences in the daily consumption of cigarettes between faculty.

1. INTRODUCTION

Cigarette smoking among students in great widespread. Smoking prevalence ranges from 28% to 67% for students, respectively, from 19% to 34% for female students. Although statistics show that 70% of students have experience of smoking cigarettes (1), show that daily smoking habit is maintained at about 1/3 of the student population (2). Relevant research on smoking cigarettes in the population of young people show that social status (3), level of education, age and sex play an important role in the formation of views towards smoking (4). More and more reports indicate that increasing the number of smokers aged between 18 and 22 years old, and that the increasing number of smokers which daily smoke more than half a pack of cigarettes (5). The aim of this survey was to investigate the smoking habits of students at three universities who are studying at the University of Tuzla in academic Year 2012/2013 and to investigate whether there is a difference in smoking habits of students from different faculties and observed by gender.

2. PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study was conducted at the University of Tuzla in academic Year 2012/2013 the sample included a total of 254 students, 170 females (F: 66.93%) and 84 male patients (M: 33.07%). A representative sample consisted of students of three faculties of the University of Tuzla. The average age of students at the Faculty of Pharmacy was 24.45 ± 2.36, the average age of the Faculty of Economics was 23.88 ± 1.68 years, and the Faculty of Law 23.89 ± 2:35 years.

2.1. Methods of data collection–survey

The survey was designed like a self-questionnaire and was anonymous. The study included 254 male and female students Tuzla University, which studying in different scientific areas. By agreement were chosen to be in addition to the School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Law and Faculty of Economics of the University of Tuzla. Survey research questionnaire, along with other data and contains 10 questions about smoking habits of students. Questions were related to the following: smoking status, the begin of adopting smoking habits (age of onset of smoking), the reason for initiation of smoking (motivation), smoking experience of former smokers in abstinence, number of cigarettes smoked per day, the emergence of subjective symptoms that are attributed to smoking, the attempts to quit smoking, smokers characteristics and their families(active smoking status at least one of the parents), a way of spending free time (leisure activities), studying success measured by grade point average. The most important criterion variable for determining smoking status was the prevalence of cigarette smoking in total so far in the last month.

3. RESULTS

Of the total of 254 surveyed students involved in research oldest student was 44 year old, man with the Faculty of Pharmacy, and the youngest student was 18 years old, also, the man with the Faculty of Law. The distribution of age in the entire sample and by category (Faculty) is asymmetric (Shapiro-Wilk W 0.75, H 44.01, with 8.79, p <0.0001). Therefore we made nonparametric analysis of variance of the age of the sample characteristics between these groups in order to show that there is no statistically significant differences in age variation (Kruskal-Wallis equality-of-populations rank test: chi-squared 4:59, df2, p = 0.08. Unwanted significant difference in the sample by gender arose from the fact that the research conducted at the Faculty of pharmaceutically which mainly studying female students.

There are most students with active smoking status of the Faculty of Economics 24 (28.6%), the Law 20 (24.7%), and least in the college of pharmaceuticals faculty, where 15 (16.7%) of students reported their active smoking status, Chi-square test is not showed that the proportions are significantly different (Chi-square test, Pearson chi2 = 3.46, Pr = 0.176). The number of cigarettes smoked per day in the complete sample is on average 15.4 ± 6.6 pieces, a little less than one package. The average number of cigarettes smoked per day for female is 15 compared to 17 cigarettes for male students. Almost half of the respondents, 56.1% of current smokers trying to quit smoking, while 43.9% had no desire to stop smoking. The average period of abstinence for former smokers was 4.1 ± 2.3 years. Although no significant difference in smoking status by sex (Pearson chi2 = 3.004, Pr = 0.083), data showed relatively large number of active smokers female. It is still a larger number of students in the category of male smokers 27.4% compared to 20.6% female students. Most female students in the category of active smokers studies Economics, while male students smoke most common in Law faculty. Of the 77 students at the Faculty of Pharmacy 11 student reported his active smoking status, or 14.2%. Of the 12 students at the Faculty of Pharmacy has three active smoking status which makes 25%. Out of 52 students at the Faculty of Economics 16 students in active smoking status, which represents 30.7%. Of the 32 male student smokers was 8 or 25%. From the 41 students at the law school has eight active smokers or 19.5%.. Of the 40 students at the Faculty of Law 12 of them have active smoking status which makes 30%.

No significant differences when it comes to the age of initiation of active smoking. Their smoking status some have started already with 13 years while most started smoking at 18.4 ± 2.84 g. As for smoking motives, 25 students or 41% of its active smoking status justifies smoking because of society. At some Universities, smoking because society was dominated by the Faculty of Economics 54.2%. At the pleasure smoking 16 students or 23%, while 9 students or 24.1% considered that smoking helps in stressful situations. Smoking, stress was greater on the Faculty of Law 57.1%. The justification for a relatively long-term smoking students are bored in and satisfaction. Smoking out of boredom and pleasure takes on average more than 8 years, while smoking the tension, and the company takes on average 4-4.5 years.

There were no statistically significant differences between the daily consumption of cigarettes, according to some Universities. Daily consumption presented median is 17 cigarettes. Increase daily consumption of cigarettes has been associated most often with a porch and control stress, the students (especially the Faculty of Pharmacy) blew more than 20 cigarettes a day. Law Students daily motivation of consuming an average 20 cigarettes found in boredom. Students Faculty of Pharmacy reason for spent an average 15 cigarettes per day are in the satisfaction and stress management. Students of Faculty of Economics daily spend most of cigarettes because of stage fright and society (22-30 cigarettes daily), and at least for satisfaction 10 cigarettes daily.

In the smoking habits of family were a statistically significant difference when it comes to individual faculties (Pearson Chi -square 10.5, df-2, p = 0.005). Parents of smokers (at least one or both) account for 53.1%. The most parents of smokers were in students studying Economics, 60.7%, and there were least of smoking parents students Faculty of Pharmacy 30.9%. Most active smokers in the survey sample, 33.3% of them, during the studies had a place in dorm, while active smokers residing with their parents during the study 21.2%. In the category of students tenant is 19.1% of current smokers. The most common problems that active smoker smokers smoking is associated with an occasional cough that was present even in 47.5%. The same number of 47.5% of current smokers said that there is no smoking problems.

4. DISCUSSION

The survey covered a number of issues related to smoking status, start adopting smoking habits, the reason for initiation of smoking, ex-smokers, smoking experience, number of cigarettes smoked per day, the emergence of subjective symptoms that are attributed to smoking, attempt to stop smoking, smoker characteristics of their family and others …

Taking into account the assessment of smoking status, it can be concluded that 22.8% of students surveyed active smokers (smoking prevalence) while the 7.8% it was previously, and now currently do not smoke. In our study, about 23% of students smoke cigarettes daily, while (6) to get daily smoking cigarettes and 20.5% of students (4) 41% of students and 26.7% of female students. Results of our survey show that the number of cigarettes smoked per day in the complete sample on average 15.4 ± 6.6 pieces, a little less than one package. The average number of cigarettes smoked per day for female students is 15 compared to 17 cigarettes for male. Similar results were obtained and (7). The justification for starting smoking students are boredom and satisfaction. Smoking out of boredom and pleasure takes on average more than 8 years, while smoking the tension, and the company takes on average 4-4.5years. (Which correlates with the status of a student) (7). The trend of smoking in the population of students in the progression. We did not find any statistically significant difference in onset of adopting smoking habits. Most of the students began to adopt smoking habit in the 17–21 years of age. In our study, were not treated the presence of depressive symptoms in students, although several studies reported a connection between smoking in the student population with the presence of depressive symptoms (2, 8).

5. CONCLUSION

The conducted analyzes have shown that in this sample 22.8% of current smokers, and 7.8% is former smokers who now no longer smoke. Due to the adopted smoking habits, which some students began to adopt in the age of 13, in 47.5% part of students were occasionally observed symptoms (cough, etc.), which are attributed to smoking. The analysis showed no statistically significant gender difference in smoking habits. Although the trend of smoking in the population of female students is in progression, they are in the smoking quantity as well as male colleagues. We did not find any statistically significant difference in onset of adopting smoking habits. The study lacked knowledge about issues related harmful effects of tobacco on the human body which will in the next survey will be incorporated. It is necessary to organize and educational lectures in the student population to raise awareness about the harmful effects of smoking in order to reduce the prevalence of smoking.

Table 1

Profile of the test sample by gender on Faculties

Table 2

Age characteristics of the test sample by gender on Faculties

Table 3

A smoking status of the test sample of students by gender and faculties