International Journal of Nursing Care

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Perceptions of Smoking Behaviours and Habits among University Students in Oman


Affiliations
1 Department of Community Mental Health, Higher College of Technology, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Oman
2 Department of Adult Health Critical Care, Higher College of Technology, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Oman
3 Department of Business and Financial Studies, Higher College of Technology, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Oman
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


The aim of this paper is to explore smoking behaviours and habits among students at a public University in Oman. An exploratory cross sectional research design was used. 840 students were randomly selected in clusters drawn across nine colleges in the University. A Modified World Health Organization Smoking Behaviours Self-administered Questionnaire was used in 2012. 10.01% of the students smoked, of which 8.69% of the students lived more than 5 years outside homes and had leisure time (8.33%). 14.2% of the students had history of smoking, of which 10.71% have an intention to smoke. There is significant difference in smoking behaviours among male and female, fathers or a family member. Results provide baseline data to develop pro-interventions for smoking awareness and counseling for university students and encourage policy makers to strengthen the policies to curb tobacco products.

Keywords

Smoking Prevalence, Habits, Perceptions, Behaviours, University Students, Reported Smoking, Oman
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Murphy- Hoefer R, Adler S & Higbee. Perceptions about cigarette smoking and risks among college students. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 2004, 7(3): S371 –S374.

  • Piko B. Smoking in adolescent: do attitudes really not matter. Public Health Nursing, 2004, 2(2):25- 29.

  • World Health Organization. Guidelines for the Conduct of Tobacco Smoking among Health Professionals, 1984, WHO/SMO84.

  • Al-Mutairi K. Predicting smoking behavior among male Saudi Arabian College students. Published Dissertation of University of Nebraska, 2003. Available in www.lib.umi.com.

  • Xiang H, Wang Z, Stallones L, Yu S, Glimbel H & Yang P. Cigarette smoking among medical college students in Wahan, People Republic of China. Preventive Medicine, 1999, 29(3):210-215.

  • Biasco F & Hartnett J. College student’s attitudes toward smoking. College Student Journal, 2002, 36(3):442-448.

  • Unger J, Yan L, Shakib S. Rohrbach L, Chen X, Qian G, Chou C, Jianguo S, Azen S, Zheng H. & Johnson C. Peer influences and access to cigarette as correlates of adolescent smoking cross- cultural comparison of Wuhan, China, and California. Preview Medical, 2002, 34(4):476 – 484.

  • Haddad L & Malak M. Smoking habits and attitudes towards smoking among university students in Jordan. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 2002, 39: 793- 802.

  • Muziak W. Eissberg T, Rastan S, Hammal F & Asfar T. Prevalence and characteristics of Narghile smoking among university student in Syria. Ann Epidemiology, 2004, 14(9):646-654.

  • Morbidity Mortality Weekly Report. Cigarette smoking among adults in US, 2002, 51:642 – 654.

  • World Health Organization Annul health report. Geneva. 2002.

  • Budd G & Preston D. College students’ attitudes and beliefs about the consequences of smoking: development and normative scores of new scale. Journal of the American Academy of nurse practitioner, 2001, 13 (9): 421. Available in www.health.gov/healthpeople.

  • World Health Organization. Plan of action for tobacco control in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 1997, 3(1):168–175.

  • Islam S & Johnson C. Influence of known psychosocial smoking risk factors on Egyptian adolescents’ cigarette smoking behavior. Health Promotion International, 2005, 20(2).

  • Wechsler H, Rigotti N, Gledhill J. & Lee H. Increased levels of cigarette use among college students, Journal of American Medical Association, 1998, 280(19):1673 – 1678.

  • Wang M. Social environment influences on adolescents smoking progression. American Journal of Health Behavior, 2001, 25(4):418 – 425

  • Times of Oman. Smoking in Oman, 26/10/2004.

  • Times of Oman. Ban on Smoking in Oman, 26/ 10/2004.

  • Moran S, Wechsler H & Rigotti N. Social smoking among US, 2004.

  • Bener A, Stewart T, & Al-Ketbi L, Cigarettes smoking habits among high school boys in the United Arab Emirates. International Quarterly of Community Health Education, 1999, 18 (2): 209–222.

  • Hashim T.. Smoking habits of students in College of Applied Medical Science in Saudia Arabia. Saudia Medical Journal, 2000, 221(1):79- 80.

  • Wisconsin Youth Tobacco Survey 2000. Knowledge, Beliefs, and Social Influences. Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Division of Public Health. Department of Health and Family Services. PPH 43027 (09/01).

  • MONICA smoking measurement. 1992. Available online in: http://www.ktl.fi/publications/ monica/manual/part3/iii-1.htm

  • World Health Organization WHO Smoking Behavior Research Questionnaire. Geneva. 2003.

  • Countrywide Integrated Non-communicable Disease Intervention (CINDI), WHO International Conference on Tobacco and Health, Kobe, Japan, 1999b. [on line]. Available: http:// tobacco.who.int/en/fctc/kobe/kobereport.html. www.euro.who.int/CINDI/

  • Ministry of Health. Oman Family health survey, part of the Gulf Family Health Survey. Muscat: Ministry of health, 1995

  • MOH,WHO,UNICEF. Adolescent Health Survey Oman. 2001.

  • a. Abd El-aziz SAHA Al-Lawati JAA, Mubark Al Shuaili ISM. Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS). Sultanate of Oman, Ministry of Health, Directorate General of Health Affairs, Department of school Health, Department of control of Non communicable diseases. WHO, MOH and Centre of disease control –Atlanta, 2003.

  • b. Al-Muzahmi SN, El-Aziz SAA, Al-Lawati JA, Thuhli YSA, Foad DH. Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS). Directorate General of Health Affairs, Department of School Health, Department of Non-communicable Diseases Surveillance and Control, Directorate General of Planning and Department of Health Information & Statistics. National Tobacco Control Committee, MOH Oman, MOE, WHO-Regional Office of the Eastern Mediterranean, Centre of Disease Control & prevention- USA. 2007.

  • Al-Lawati JA, Muula AS, Hilmi SA, and Rudatsikira E. Prevalence and Determinants of Waterpipe Tobacco Use among Adolescents in Oman. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J, 2008, 8(1): 37–43.

  • Bawazeer A. First cigarette smoking experience among secondary- school students in Aden, Republic of Yemen. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 1999, 15(3):440-449.

  • Felimban F. The smoking practices and attitudes towards smoking of female university students in Riyadh. Saudi Medical Journal, 1993, 14(3): 220–224.

  • Felimban F, & Jarallah J. Smoking habits of secondary school boys in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Medical Journal, 1994, 15(6):438–442.

  • Young D, Swan A & Melia J. Cigarette advertising and the young marker. Health Education journal, 1989, 48(993).

  • Everette SA. Smoking initiation and smoking patterns among US college students. Journal of American College Health Journal of American College Health, 1999, 48(2):55–61.

  • Kegler M. Kingsley B. Malcoe L. Cleaver V. Reid J. & Soloman G. The functional value of smoking and non-smoking from the perspective of American Indian Youth. Family Community Health, 1999, 22(2):31-42.

  • Emmon K, Wechsler H, Dowdall G, & Abraham M, Predictors of smoking among US college students. American Journal of Public Health, 1998, 88(1): 104–107.


Abstract Views: 1356

PDF Views: 3




  • Perceptions of Smoking Behaviours and Habits among University Students in Oman

Abstract Views: 1356  |  PDF Views: 3

Authors

Samira Maroof
Department of Community Mental Health, Higher College of Technology, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Oman
Melba Sheila D'Souza
Department of Adult Health Critical Care, Higher College of Technology, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Oman
Ramesh Venkatesaperumal
Department of Adult Health Critical Care, Higher College of Technology, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Oman
Subrahmanya Nairy Karkada
Department of Business and Financial Studies, Higher College of Technology, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Oman

Abstract


The aim of this paper is to explore smoking behaviours and habits among students at a public University in Oman. An exploratory cross sectional research design was used. 840 students were randomly selected in clusters drawn across nine colleges in the University. A Modified World Health Organization Smoking Behaviours Self-administered Questionnaire was used in 2012. 10.01% of the students smoked, of which 8.69% of the students lived more than 5 years outside homes and had leisure time (8.33%). 14.2% of the students had history of smoking, of which 10.71% have an intention to smoke. There is significant difference in smoking behaviours among male and female, fathers or a family member. Results provide baseline data to develop pro-interventions for smoking awareness and counseling for university students and encourage policy makers to strengthen the policies to curb tobacco products.

Keywords


Smoking Prevalence, Habits, Perceptions, Behaviours, University Students, Reported Smoking, Oman

References