Evaluation of Prevalence and Predictors of Waterpipe (Shisha) use among Pre-medicine and Pharmacy students in the Muscat Region- A Pilot Study

Tobacco epidemic has become one of the biggest public health threats to the world as it kills more than 8 million people annually. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and predictors of waterpipe (shisha) use among Pre-medicine and Pharmacy students in the Muscat region. A validated questionnaire containing 32 questions on shisha use, knowledge & attitudes concerning shisha use, cessation, initiation trends and exposure to second hand smoke (SHS) was self-administered to 140 students. Approximately half of the students were Omanis and 19.4% of the students had smoked shisha at least once. About 22.9% of the students, felt that smoking made them more comfortable in social gatherings. Approximately 21.6% students smoked in places outside their homes, contributing to SHS. The prevalence of shisha and cigarette smoking were 2.9% and 4.3% respectively. Males and non-Omanis (64.7% and 42.4%) were found to be more susceptible to initiate smoking within a year. This study indicated that shisha smoking and cigarette smoking are on the rise among young adults. Hence, there is a need to educate students about the harms of shisha smoking, to quit smoking and to protect the non-smokers from being initiated into this vicious habit.