Abstract

Background: Reporting patterns of hookah smoking (HS) and alcohol consumption (AC) in Iraq are limited. Objectives: This studyaims to investigate the prevalence of HS and AC among medical undergraduates in Najaf, Iraq. Materials and Methods: A pilottestedonline self-administered questionnaire was used to conduct a descriptive cross-sectional study. The sampling followed the“snowball” technique. The associations of HS and AC with the participants’ characteristics, perceived risk of harm, motives, andconsequences were tested. Results: The preceding month’s prevalence of HS and AC (at least once) was 13.8% and 2%, respectively.The age at initiation was mainly <15 years (59.3% of smokers and 92.3% of drinkers). The presence of a friend who drinks or smokesand skipping life problems were statistically significant motives for the habits (P-value < 0.05). Smoking mainly caused problems withparents (10.1%) and poor performance at school or work (7%), whereas AC mainly caused problems with teachers (8.5%) and fights(5.2%). Conclusion: In conclusion, the prevalence of HS and AC among medical undergraduates in Najaf, Iraq, was reported, andseveral associated characteristics were discerned. The findings help develop targeted interventions to protect future generations ofmedical professionals from the hazards of HS and AC.

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The article was added to IASJ on 2023-05-07

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