Waterpipe (shisha)‎ smoking among the population in Khartoum state perception, attitudes, and quitting intention from (2014-2015)‎

Abstract EN

This study aimed to investigate the perception, attitudes and quitting intention related to water pipe smoking among the public smokers in Khartoum state From December 2014 to April 2015.

This is a descriptive cross – sectional study conducted from December 2014 to April 2015, at different public café in Khartoum state.

Sample size is Three hundred and eighty five (385), twenty of the Shisha smokers refuse to fill the questionnaires while fifteen questionnaires were excluded.

Only three hundred and fifty established Shisha smokers participated in this study.

Data was collected using a 31-item questionnaire constructed using three main domains; characteristics questions (socio-demographic and personal), behavior questions and questions about perceptions of harmful effects of Shisha smoking in comparison to cigarette smoking.

In this study 293 males (84%) and 57 females (16%) were using Shisha smoke.

The results indicated that the mean age of starting Shisha smoking was 18 years.

35.5% of participants were students.

The knowledge of population regarding the hazards of habitual Shish smoking was alarmingly low and the majority (53.5%) considers the practice to be less addictive than cigarette smoking.

67.5% of the participants knew that Shisha smoke causes lung cancer, while 43.5% believed that Shisha was safer than cigarette.

61% of participants had intention to quit smoking Shisha.

It is concluded that Shisha smoking is injurious to health.

There was a high prevalence of Shisha smoking among the population of Khartoum state especially among the university students.

It has become a fashion and snobbery among our university students.

The knowledge of population regarding the hazards of habitual Shisha smoking is alarmingly low and the majority considers the practice to be safer than cigarette smoking.