Exploring trends and factors related to hookah use among college students: A cross-Sectional survey

Hookah smoking is an emerging public health concern in India.Hookah smoking is becoming a source of tobacco use among the college students nationwide. Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the trend of hookah use and the factors associated with it among college students in Manipal. It was a cross sectional survey conducted on the students of a dental school in Manipal. The data was collected using self-administered structured questionnaires consisting participants’ personal characteristics, health-risk behaviors and factors related to smoking hookah, opinion about increasing trend and perceptions about the harmful effects of hookah smokingdistributed among all the students of the college. The study sample of 332 dental students consisted of 247 females (74%) and 85 males (26%) with the mean age of 20 years. A total of 121 students (36%) have reported to had smoked hookah at one or more occasions (ever smokers). Out of those students that reported ever smoked hookah 72 subjects (22 %) are current hookah smokers and 49 subjects (15 %) have smoked hookah only once for trying. Maximum number of students reported curiosity (70 subjects, 58%) and social trends (25 subjects, 21%) as the major reasons for initiating hookah smoking. Almost all the subjects (113 subjects, 93%) who smoked hookah reported it was easily available and accessible to them. Majority of the subjects either didn’t know or believed (170 subjects, 51.2%) that hookah is less harmful than cigarette smoking. Hookah usage was found high among the study population. Hence, it is imperative that the health risks posed by hookah smoking are addressed. Actions should be taken to limit hookah smoking and to halt this emerging public health threat.