Abstract
BackgroundThis study was conducted to examine the prevalence of smoking and the smoking habits among male secondary school students in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to assess their knowledge and attitudes towards smoking.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in Jeddah, using a two-stage cluster sample that randomly selected four schools from 85 public secondary schools for males. Data were obtained through a self-administered questionnaire containing questions on personal background, smoking behavior, knowledge, and behavior and attitudes towards smoking. A total of 695 students responded to the questionnaires with an 87.4% response rate.ResultsThe age range of this student sample was 16–22 years. Two hundred fifty-eight (37%) of the study group were current smokers. The most common reasons given for smoking were personal choice (50.8%) and the peer pressure from smoker friends (32.8%). Many students researched the smoking hazards (68.1%), but only 47.6% knew about the bad effects of passive smoking. Two thirds of the smoking students wanted to quit smoking (63.2%), especially if suitable help was available, and 75.1% tried to quit. A third of the smoking students (36.8%) found it difficult to stop smoking in no-smoking areas.ConclusionA well-planned integrated antismoking campaign is urgently required, especially among students and teachers. Our study revealed that smoking prevalence was high, which will lead to future high smoking-related health problems if proper preventive measures are not taken accordingly.
Highlights
This study was conducted to examine the prevalence of smoking and the smoking habits among male secondary school students in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to assess their knowledge and attitudes towards smoking
The sociodemographic factors related to smoking behavior have been studied extensively in those countries that succeeded in combating smoking [4,5]
Jeddah city is an important center for various activities in Saudi Arabia
Summary
This study was conducted to examine the prevalence of smoking and the smoking habits among male secondary school students in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to assess their knowledge and attitudes towards smoking. Despite its decline in developed countries, high rates of smoking are still found in developing countries [1]. Many developing countries have adopted preventive campaigns to combat smoking with varying rates of success [2]. Among the factors that need to be considered in a well-designed preventive program are the prevailing social factors and determinants that strengthen and perpetuate this habit in the specific social environment [3]. The sociodemographic factors related to smoking behavior have been studied extensively in those countries that succeeded in combating smoking [4,5]. Youth are the main target for these companies because they ensure the perpetuation of smoking in developing countries. Adolescence is a developmental period where behavior is influenced by accelerated changes affecting biological, emotional, cognitive, and social functions
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
