Knowledge of Shisha-Aided Flavoured Tobacco Smoking, Health-Risk in Public Universities in Rivers State

Abstract

The study investigated the knowledge of shisha-aided flavoured tobacco smoking, health-risk in public universities inRiversState.  It is a cross-sectional study carried out among undergraduate students in public universities in Rivers State with population forty seven thousand five hundred and seventeen (47,517), from the three (3) public universities in Rivers State, using a sample of one thousand undergraduate students drawn through a multi-stage sampling procedure.  The instrument used for data collection were 30 items structured questionnaire titled “Knowledge of Shisha-aided Flavoured Tobacco Smoking (KSFTS) which has a reliability coefficient of 0.91 and a focus group discussion.  Data was analysed using frequency and percentage for the demographic characteristics, while mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while chi-square and 2-way ANOVA was used to test the hypotheses at .05 alpha level of significance.  The findings of the study revealed that the respondents have poor knowledge of shisha-aided flavoured tobacco smoking and its health-risks implication.  Age had no significant influence on the respondent.  The study concluded with the following recommendations that awareness should be created among students on the health-risks implications.  On admission of student, during orientations students, the universities authorities should marshal modalities to halt the use of shisha and all other forms of tobacco use.