Smoking habits and attitudes among university students in Palestine: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Information about the rate of smoking and factors associated with initiating and maintaining the behaviour is scarce in Palestine. The aim of this study was to explore the rate of and attitudes towards smoking among An-Najah National University students. During spring 2010, a questionnaire adopted from the Global Health Professionals Survey and the Global Youth Tobacco Survey was administered to 954 randomly selected full-time students. Overall 34.7% of the study sample were cigarette or waterpipe smokers, and this rate was higher among males than females (52.7% versus 16.5%). In logistic regression analysis, sex (male), type of college (humanities), older age and higher family income were predictors of current smoking status. Smokers had more negative attitudes to banning smoking in public areas on campus and to education about the harmful effects of smoking. Antismoking programmes with special attention to males and students in humanities are badly needed.