Abstract
Objective: This paper examines prevalence of tobacco use and influences of personal, social, environmental factors, and knowledge on use among Riyadh Health Sciences College students.
Methods: A survey questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of male and female students selected from Riyadh Health Sciences College. A total of 939 students aged 19 - 25 completed the survey.
Results: About one third (32.7%) of male and 6% of female students indicated that they currently smoked cigarettes. Twenty nine percent of male students and 5.6% of female students smoked sheesha. Almost a third (29%) of the male students and 7.6% of female students had tried smoking before age of 17. More than half of the students reported that their friends smoked. About a quarter (26.9%) of students reported smoking a whole packet of cigarettes a day, and 29.5% of smokers reported having tried quitting smoking. Parents, peers, and knowledge about the dangers of tobacco were the most significant factors affecting smoking behavior. Around 86.0% of smokers were found to have more knowledge about the harm of tobacco use.
Conclusion This paper builds on other studies that have found that tobacco use among youth in Saudi Arabia is a common phenomenon. The consistent research results showing tobacco use among youth in Saudi Arabia reflects a need for continued monitoring of the behavior and the need for intervention to change this behavior. This study examines tobacco use among young people in Saudi Arabia and examines factors that can be addressed to reduce initiation and continued use of tobacco among young people in the country.
Our findings highlight the need for smoking control interventions aimed at young people. Smoking is a major, yet preventable cause of morbidity and mortality.