Smoking Habits And Attitudes Towards Smoking

Among University Students In Pakistan

INTRODUCTION:

Smoking and tobacco utilization is on the increment in countries. (WHO, 1997). A similar pattern
is required to be happening in Pakistan, which proposes that the number of people who will die
or be disabled as a result of tobacco-related diseases will increase. Albeit smoking is a
significant medical condition in Pakistan its actual extent is not known. The last public overview
in Pakistan tracked down that smoking pervasiveness among people age 25 years and more
than was 23.7% (48% among males and 12% among females). An study on the pervasiveness
of obesity in semi-urban communities in Pakistan revealed smoking prevalence among adults
25 years of age and older was 31.7% for males and 6% for females. A more recent study in
1999 found that 21% of school students were smokers (WHO, UNICEF, & Smoking Surveillance
Committee, 1999). Except for these studies research on smoking among the different age
groups is lacking. Baseline information is needed to quantify the size of the ‘smoking epidemic’
in Pakistan in terms of its effect on various segments of the population. This information would
enable targeting of anti-smoking programs to specific groups with messages appropriate to their
habits and beliefs. Incidence of smoking in developing countries such as Pakistan is noted to be
increasing, especially among students, whereas surveys of students in developed countries are
showing decline in smoking prevalence (Nelson et al., 1995; WHO, UNICEF, & Smoking
Surveillance Committee, 1999). The increase of tobacco use in Pakistan could be the result of
several factors like: Growing population, rising income, increasing interest in smoking on the
part of girls and women, relentless tobacco campaigns, and the lack of awareness of the
dangers and hazards of smoking. The purpose of this study was to focus upon the habits,
attitudes, and practices related to smoking behaviors of students at a university. It has been
investigated by other researchers in other countries. Physicians, 1983). Hill and Gray (1989) found
most smokers did not believe that smoking caused illness and most of them thought that only those
who smoke heavily (by which they meant those who smoke more cigarettes than they do themselves)
are likely to get serious illnesses caused by smoking. In fact about one third of all premature deaths
caused by smoking occur in smokers who smoke less than 20 cigarettes per day (Royal College of
Physicians, 1983). Most smokers understood smoking as a strategy to cope with the social anxieties
rather than as deviant or illegal behavior. Use of cognitive coping and problem solving methods has
been shown to be a deterrent to initiating smoking and to be maintaining abstinence among adults.
Many studies focused on attitudes and beliefs towards smoking were conducted. Studied the functional
value of smoking and non-smoking from the perspective of American Pakistan youth by using focus
groups. The results indicated for smokers, the functional value of smoking was associated with peers,
moods, image, addiction, family and sensory pleasures. For nonsmokers, the functional value of non-
smoking was related to sensory aspects, health consequences, physical performance, physiological
response and family. To examine the attitudes and practice of secondary school boys towards smoking.
They surveyed 1312 randomly selected students using a questionnaire and found a smoking prevalence
of 21.8% in the study sample. They also noted that prevalence rates increased with increase in age with
more than two thirds of the ever-smoked group starting the habit after age 10 years. Of the participants
as a whole more than 72% consumed less than 10 cigarettes per day and 67.3% never smoked at school.
The most common cause of smoking suggested by the students was boredom (29.1%), followed by habit
(23.5%) and imitation (17.1%). Despite participants’ concern about smoking hazards, 27.6% of the ever-
smokers were still smoking on regular basis. Studied the attitudes towards smoking and smoking
practices of female university students Of the 663 females who completed the questionnaire, 45.6% had
a formal medical educational background and 54.4% had other scientific educational backgrounds. The
smoking prevalence was 8.6% and 11.6% for medical and nonmedical groups, respectively, and 53.8%
and 71.4% for those who had ever-smoked were still smoking. Also, 46.2% of the former group and
28.6% of the latter group had quit smoking. Nearly all of those studied were aware of the hazards of
smoking, and the media was the major source of this information. Religion, attitudes, and practices in
relation to smoking among university students. In addition, the need to examine gender differences in
expressions and values of smoking will be addressed. Locally derived, gender-specific information gained
through this study will be useful to develop anti-smoking education programs that are designed to meet
the different needs of young men and women in relation to their attitudes toward smoking.

Review of the literature :

Great majority of smokers starts the habit before 20 years of age. There are many reasons for smoking,
such as alleviation of stress, life problems, peer pressure, social acceptance issues, family history
(parental modelling of smoking behaviour), lower educational attainment, and lower economic status.
Young smokers desire to appear mature, self-confident and independent and to attain a high personality
profile. On the other hand, religion, sensory issues such as bad taste or smell, negative health
consequences, impaired physical performance, negative physiological response, and issues related to
family are considered as some of the reasons for not smoking. Attitudes and beliefs towards smoking
predict intentions and starting of smoking (Brownson et al., 1992). Attitudes towards smoking serve as a
deterrent to initiating smoking and as a stimulus to quitting . Great majority of pupils (smokers and non-
smokers alike) recognise that smoking is harmful to the health. Contrarily, pupils who tried cigarettes
had more adverse attitudes and beliefs about the effects of smoking compared to non-smokers.
Smokers are responsible for their own health, yet most are still unaware of the grave dangers of
smoking or of ways they could avoid them (Royal College of health and social considerations were
important barriers which may inhibit an individual from smoking, as well as provide a potential pressure
to quit. Studied cigarette-smoking habits among high school boys . The survey of 1500 public secondary
school boys found that 18.9% were currently smoking and another 28.2% had smoking experience. Most
of the smokers had begun smoking between the age of 10 and 15, and were much likely to have family
members who smoked. Hashim (2000) established a baseline data on the smoking habits of health
science students in University environment. In a random sample of 647 students 29% were current
smokers. Among major factors that influence the smoking prevalence were the smoking habits of peers,
siblings, and parents. The major source of information on the health consequences of smoking was the
media. In summary, researchers in East Mediterranean countries have been working on building
research-based knowledge particular to their local areas. Many studies have estimated the prevalence
of smoking within general and particular populations, notably school and university students. The age of
initiation of smoking has been determined for some populations; as well as reasons for smoking and
related environmental factors that influence children and young adults to take up smoking are also
determined. Also, student knowledge about the hazards of smoking and attitudes toward quitting has
been investigated. Smoking habits among university students have been described and predictors of
smoking, such as peer group influences, explored. There are some studies about the prevalence,
practices, and attitudes towards smoking university students. They assessed the knowledge about health
consequences of smoking and explored important aspects of knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of
smokers and non-smokers. Little research has been conducted in the East Mediterranean area on the
initiation of smoking and factors that may determine smoking frequency, such as type of school,
academic achievement, social consequences of smoking, socio-economic status and presence of
smokers at home. Research in this area has so far not assessed the relative contribution of such factors
as selfimage, peer pressure and dieting behaviour to frequency of smoking among school or university
students. Few studies have been conducted among females. Most East Mediterranean studies have
concentrated and focused on males, and reports of gender differences should be viewed with a
particular caution because these differences may be due to varying degrees of expressiveness by gender
rather than true gender differences in factors and values of smoking. Given the gaps found in the
literature review, this research study is needed to understand the habits,