A Descriptive Study to Assess the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Tobacco use among the College Students of the Selected Colleges of Selected City of Gujarat, India

Abstract

A descriptive survey was conducted in Ahmedabad city, among college students to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice related to tobacco use. 300 students selected from 5 colleges by random sampling method, aged 18 to 25 years returned a questionnaire designed to test their level of knowledge about tobacco use, attitude towards tobacco use and practice related to tobacco use. 66% of females and 65% of males had good knowledge related to tobacco use. 86% of the respondents had unfavourable attitude towards tobacco use in which 92.33% agreed that policies against tobacco use and smoking should be enforced by their colleges, while 6% offers pendants had favourable attitude towards tobacco use. In that 16% of the respondents agreed that tobacco use make a one looks mature, while 9.67% were of the view that tobacco use safe for a year or two if they quit after that. Cigarette use was most common form of tobacco use wherein 9.70% males and 4.30% females reported cigarette use. The second most common form of tobacco use was hookah, in which 7.30% males and 3% of females reported hookah use. Out of the total reported tobacco use, the main reason for initiating tobacco use was out of curiosity, where 14% male and 10% females reported it being the main reason for starting and trying tobacco products. Out of the 300 respondents, 31.67% reported that they were exposed to secondhand smoke on campus. A relationship was found between age and guthka, and cigarette use which implied that as age increases, cigarette and guthka consumption is seen in increasing frequency. A relationship between knowledge related to tobacco use and attitude towards tobacco use is also found. This indicated that those respondents who had good level of knowledge related to tobacco use had unfavourable attitude towards tobacco use as they considered tobacco use harmful in all forms and did not think that it helped to enhance the personal characteristics and ability of the person who used tobacco products.