Cross sectional online survey to determine the prevalence, knowledge, attitude and practice of smoking tobacco among students of medical science college in Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives: The present study was conducted to examine the prevalence of tobacco smoking among students' of different departments of private medical science college at Dammam, as well as to assess students' attitude, practice, knowledge, and awareness towards smoking and its harmful effects. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed at Mohammed Al-Mana College for Medical Sciences (MACHS) in February 2020. Data were obtained through adopted pretested validated questionnaire based on the Global Adult Tobacco Survey. The questionnaire contains demographic details, smoking behavior, knowledge, and behavior attitude toward smoking. Results: A total of 388 students completed the questionnaire out of them 108 males (27.8%) and 280 females (76.2%), the prevalence ratio of tobacco use 19.84%. The prevalence ratio of female current smokers was 7.9%, whereas male 11.8%, even though the number of female participants were high. Female students had better knowledge in comparison with male students regarding the harmful effects of tobacco smoking on health (78.7% vs. 82.8%; P ≤ 0.001), and as a risk factor of brain thrombosis (59.2% vs. 60%; P ≤ 0.001), gastric ulcer (55.5% vs. 62.1%; P ≤ 0.001), asthma (62.9% vs. 72.1%; P ≤ 0.001), and lung cancer (81.4% vs. 86.7%; P ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: The prevalence of smoking tobacco was relatively low among MACHS students who had good general knowledge regarding the harmful effects of smoking tobacco. This study results showed the harmful effects of smoking and can be used as a basis for the development of tobacco education programs at MACHS and any other institution for providing professional support for students to quit smoking.