Masoud Miri-Moghaddam1, Mahnaz Shahrakipour2, Saeed Nasseri3, Ebrahim Miri-Moghaddam4. 1. Student Research Centre, Faculty of Dentistry, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran. 2. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Oral and Dental Disease Research Centre, Health Faculty, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran. 3. Cellular and Molecular Research Centre, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran. 4. Department. of Molecular Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Smoking of water pipe (WP) and cigarettes has recently turned into a major global health burden. The present study aimed at assessing WP and cigarette smoking among Zahedan University of Medical Sciences (ZUMS) students in Iran. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 500 students in ZUMS (182 males, 318 females). The subjects were selected through randomized cluster sampling. Morgan's chart was applied to calculate the sample size; 96.6% of the attendees completed a questionnaire designed to address the aims of the study. RESULTS:The mean age of the subjects was 21.2 ± 2.4 years. WP and cigarette smoker rates were at 31.2% and 15.2%, respectively. The age of smoking initiation ranged between 15 and 20 years. Friends played crucial roles in triggering the smoking in both groups of WP and cigarette smokers (78% and 54%, respectively). The main reasons for WP and cigarette smoking were entertainment followed by curiosity. Furthermore, males used more cigarette (26.5 vs. 8.7%) and WP (50.6 vs. 20.4%) than females. Among father and mother smokers, respectively, 54.2% and 60% of children were also WP smokers (p = 0.001). Also, 21.9% and 60% of children smoking cigarettes had father and mother smokers, respectively (p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Tobacco use, especially for WP seems to be at alarming rates among medical students in Iran. It is highly recommended to control the progressive prevalence of WP smoking by governmental/academic preventive measures as educational and smoking cessation activities.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVES: Smoking of water pipe (WP) and cigarettes has recently turned into a major global health burden. The present study aimed at assessing WP and cigarette smoking among Zahedan University of Medical Sciences (ZUMS) students in Iran. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 500 students in ZUMS (182 males, 318 females). The subjects were selected through randomized cluster sampling. Morgan's chart was applied to calculate the sample size; 96.6% of the attendees completed a questionnaire designed to address the aims of the study. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 21.2 ± 2.4 years. WP and cigarette smoker rates were at 31.2% and 15.2%, respectively. The age of smoking initiation ranged between 15 and 20 years. Friends played crucial roles in triggering the smoking in both groups of WP and cigarette smokers (78% and 54%, respectively). The main reasons for WP and cigarette smoking were entertainment followed by curiosity. Furthermore, males used more cigarette (26.5 vs. 8.7%) and WP (50.6 vs. 20.4%) than females. Among father and mother smokers, respectively, 54.2% and 60% of children were also WP smokers (p = 0.001). Also, 21.9% and 60% of children smoking cigarettes had father and mother smokers, respectively (p = 0.05). CONCLUSION:Tobacco use, especially for WP seems to be at alarming rates among medical students in Iran. It is highly recommended to control the progressive prevalence of WP smoking by governmental/academic preventive measures as educational and smoking cessation activities.
Entities:
Keywords:
cigarette; smoking; student; university; water pipe
Authors: Hamideh Zahedi; Mohammad Hasan Sahebihagh; Parvin Sarbakhsh; Leila Gholizadeh Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2021-07-10 Impact factor: 3.295