IDENTIFICATION OF PREVALENCE AND FACTORS LEADING TO INITIATION OF SMOKING IN YOUNG MALE NURSING STUDENTS OF PRIVATE NURSING COLLEGES, LAHORE PAKISTAN

Abstract

Background: smoking is one of the major health issues today. Almost 8 million people die every year because of smoking, it not only effect those who consume it but also those who are around the smokers. Smoking does not only affect the health but also the economic and mental health is affected by it. Most of the smokers are teens and their numbers are increasing vigorously. Similarly, it affects the health and cognitive ability of the young male nursing students. There are multiple studies conducted on prevalence and factors responsible for smoking but there is a limited number of studies conducted on male nursing students.

Objective: this study determines the prevalence of smoking as well as factors responsible for initiating smoking in male nursing students.

Materials and Methods: this is a descriptive cross-sectional study in which 210 individuals participated out of 443 population of male nursing students. Descriptive frequencies and percentages were used to analyze the results.

Results: this study shows that prevalence of smoking is almost 56%. And mostly 55.9% started smoking at the age of 16-20 years. Factors most commonly found responsible were smokers in family or friend circle, easy access to cigarettes and facing no refusal to smoking as well as perception that it makes you comfortable and provide pleasurable feeling.

Conclusion: this study shows that 56% of the young male nursing students smokes, and factors like smokers in family or friend, easy access to cigarettes, perception that it gives pleasurable feeling, makes attractive are responsible for initiation of smoking. Interventions generated by considering these factors in mind are effective in controlling the smoking.