Prevalence of waterpipe smoking and awareness of related orodental complications in university students in Kerman, Iran

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Waterpipe smoking causes many negative side effects on the oral health. Our objective was to describe the prevalence of waterpipe smoking and awareness of related orodental complications in Iranian university students.METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out on ۳۸۴ students of Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran, studying in Kerman in ۲۰۱۸-۲۰۱۹, who were selected by simple random sampling. The data were collected through a questionnaire containing demographic characteristics, waterpipe smoking information, and ۱۸ questions about awareness of related orodental complications. The data were analyzed by SPSS software, using t-test, Tukey’s test, regression, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) at the significance level of ۰.۰۵.RESULTS: ۱۸۴ (۴۸.۰%) subjects were men. The mean age of participants and the mean age for beginning waterpipe smoking was ۲۲.۱۰ ± ۲.۴۷ and ۱۸.۰۵ ± ۲.۶۱ years, respectively. ۱۶۸ (۴۳.۸%) subjects used waterpipe, ۱۰۵ (۶۲.۵%) used waterpipe just for fun, and ۱۲۰ (۷۱.۴%) smoked the waterpipe in cafes. The mean score of their awareness was ۱۰.۴۷ ± ۴.۴۵ out of ۱۸. The ranking of the scores in terms of awareness was good (۳۳.۴%), moderate (۴۵.۴%), and poor (۱۹.۳%). There was a significant relationship between gender, marital status (men and married subjects had more knowledge), lack of waterpipe smoking, and awareness.CONCLUSION: Waterpipe smoking among the students was relatively high, and the awareness of the negative influences of waterpipe on oral health was moderate. The awareness of students concerning the consequences of waterpipe smoking on oral health should be taken into consideration emphatically.

Keywords:

Water pipe smoking , Cigarette smoking , Oral Health , Students , awareness