scholarly journals Patterns of Tobacco Smoking and Nicotine Vaping among University Students in the United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7652
Author(s):  
Luai A. Ahmed ◽  
Marina Verlinden ◽  
Mariam Ali Alobeidli ◽  
Reem Hamad Alahbabi ◽  
Radeya AlKatheeri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Tobacco Smoking ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Electronic Cigarettes ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Current Smoker ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Current Smoking ◽  
Smoking Control

Various forms of tobacco smoking and nicotine vaping tools are available on the market. This study quantified the prevalence of and identified factors associated with patterns of smoking and nicotine vaping among university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A cross-sectional sample of students enrolled in three public universities was surveyed. Self-reported current smoking and nicotine vaping were recorded. Of 1123 students, 81.7% completed the online survey (mean age, 20.7 ± 3.4 (SD) years; 70.7% females). The prevalence of current smoking was 15.1% while the prevalence of current nicotine vaping was nearly 4.0%. Among current smokers, 54.7% reported conventional smoking only, 15.1% reported nicotine vaping only, and 28.8% were poly-users. Conventional midwakh (47.5%), followed by conventional shisha/waterpipe (36.7%), conventional cigarettes (36.7%), electronic shisha/waterpipe (25.2%), and electronic cigarettes (24.5%), were most commonly reported by students. Students aged 20–25 years (adjusted odds ratios (aOR): 2.08, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.18–3.67) or >25 years (aOR: 4.24, 95% CI: 1.41–12.80) had higher odds of being current smokers compared to those aged 17–19 years. The male gender was also independently associated with higher odds of being a current smoker (aOR: 5.45, 95% CI: 3.31–8.97) as well as higher odds of smoking cigarettes, shisha, and midwakh, or nicotine vaping compared to being female. Of nicotine vaping users, 36.1% reported using nicotine vaping because they enjoyed the flavor and vaporizing experience and 34.4% used it to help them to quit smoking. A relatively high prevalence of self-reported smoking was reported among university students in the UAE. The findings also suggest that nicotine vaping use is relatively widespread, but still less common than traditional smoking. Vigilant and tailored university-based smoking control and preventive measures are warranted.

scholarly journals Recreational physical activity context and type preferences among male and female Emirati university students

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 507-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
C B Doyle ◽  
A Khan ◽  
N W Burton
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
University Students ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Recreational Physical Activity ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Activity Types ◽  
Competitive Activities

Abstract Background This study assessed recreational physical activity type and context preferences of Emirati university students. Method This was a cross-sectional study in which a stratified random sample (n=628) (female 69.1%, male 30.9% mean age 20.79±3.81 y) completed an online survey. Relationships between gender and preferences were assessed using regression analysis, adjusted for body mass index and age. Results Activities with a fun element were the most preferred context (87.1%). Walking (66.7%) and swimming (61.7%) were the most preferred activity types. Males had significantly higher odds of preferring competitive activities, and activity types such as football, fitness/weights and jogging. Females had significantly higher odds of preferring activities with people of the same gender, with supervision and done at home, and activity types such as walking, aerobics, cycling, squash and yoga. Conclusion These results can inform physical activity planning for university students in the United Arab Emirates. Fun activity opportunities involving walking or swimming and in the local neighbourhood may be popular for both males and females. Future research could explore uptake and maintenance of activity options, based on preferred activity attributes.

scholarly journals Gaps in Knowledge About SARS-CoV-2 & COVID-19 Among University Students Are Associated With Negative Attitudes Toward People With COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study in Cyprus

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicos Middleton ◽  
Constantinos Tsioutis ◽  
Ourania Kolokotroni ◽  
Alexandros Heraclides ◽  
Panagiotis Theodosis-Nobelos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Negative Attitudes

University students represent a highly active group in terms of their social activity in the community and in the propagation of information on social media. We aimed to map the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of University students in Cyprus about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to guide targeted future measures and information campaigns. We used a cross-sectional online survey targeting all students in conventional, not distance-learning, programs in five major universities in the Republic of Cyprus. Students were invited to participate through the respective Studies and Student Welfare Office of each institution. The survey was made available in English and Greek on REDCap. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. The questionnaire was developed based on a consensus to cover the main factual information directed by official channels toward the general public in Cyprus at the time of the survey. In addition to sociodemographic information (N = 8), the self-administered questionnaire consisted of 19 questions, assessing the knowledge regarding the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, infection prevention and control measures (N = 10), perceptions related to COVID-19, for instance, whether strict travel measures are necessary (N = 4), and attitudes toward a hypothetical person infected (N = 2). Furthermore, participants were asked to provide their own assessment of their knowledge about COVID-19 and specifically with regard to the main symptoms and ways of transmission (N = 3). The number of students who completed the survey was 3,641 (41% studying Health/Life Sciences). Amongst them, 68.8% responded correctly to at least 60% of knowledge-related questions. Misconceptions were identified in 30%. Only 29.1% expressed a positive attitude toward a hypothetical person with COVID-19 without projecting judgment (9.2%) or blame (38%). Odds of expressing a positive attitude increased by 18% (95% CI 13–24%; p < 0.001) per unit increase in knowledge. Postgraduate level education was predictive of better knowledge (odds ratio (OR) 1.81; 95% CI 1.34–2.46; p < 0.001 among doctoral students] and positive attitude [OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.01–1.80; p = 0.04). In this study, we show that specific knowledge gaps and misconceptions exist among University students about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 and their prevalence is associated with negative attitudes toward people with COVID-19. Our findings highlight the integrated nature of knowledge and attitude and suggest that improvements to the former could contribute to improvements in the latter.

scholarly journals Digital health literacy and online information queries in Portuguese university students

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (Supplement_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Rosário ◽  
C Augusto ◽  
MJ Silva ◽  
S Martins ◽  
A Duarte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
University Students ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Logistic Regression Models

Abstract Background Worldwide there is an overwhelming amount of information about COVID-19 circulating online, also named infodemic. Misinformation (the unintentional) and disinformation (the intentional) spreading of false information have proven to be very dangerous to public health. Hence, more than ever, people need skills for searching, evaluating and integrating information related to health in daily life, i.e., health literacy. Until now, little is known about the digital health literacy of university students and their information-seeking behaviour. Hence, this study aimed to analyse the associations between university students' digital health literacy and online information queries during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (and infodemic) in Portugal. Methods A cross-sectional study of 3.084 Portuguese university students (75.7% females), with an average age of 24.2 (SD = 7.5), was conducted using an online survey. We used sociodemographic data (sex, age, subjective social status) and the digital health literacy questionnaire adapted to the specific COVID-19 context. Online information queries included the topics related to SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 searched by students. Logistic regression models were performed. Results Online information queries (e.g., individual measures to protect against infection, current spread of the virus, current situation assessments and recommendations) were associated with an increased odds of achieving sufficient digital health literacy. Conclusions Online information queries related to epidemiological and public health topics are significantly associated with digital health literacy in times of COVID-19. Further studies are needed, including programs that improve digital health literacy among university students and increase the availability of high-quality content information.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of United Arab Emirates Medical and Health Sciences Students: A Cross Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noura Baniyas ◽  
Mohamud Sheek-Hussein ◽  
Nouf Al Kaabi ◽  
Maitha Al Shamsi ◽  
Maitha Al Neyadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Health Sciences Students ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire ◽  
Knowledge Attitudes And Practices

AbstractCOVID-19 pandemic is the largest unprecedented viral pandemic of the 21st century. We aimed to study the COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among medical and health sciences students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We performed a cross-sectional study between 2nd June and 19th August 2020. The survey was developed using online Survey Monkey. The link was distributed via UAE University to all students and via WhatsApp© groups. The self-administered questionnaire was conducted in English and comprised of two parts: socio-demographic characteristics and KAP towards COVID-19. A total of 712 responses to the questionnaire were collected. 90% (n=695) were under-graduate, while 10% (n=81) were post-graduate students. Majority (87%, n=647) stated that they obtained COVID-19 information from multiple reliable sources. They were highly knowledgeable about COVID-19 pandemic but 76% (n=539) did not recognize its routes of transmission. 63% (n=431) were worried of getting COVID-19, while 92% (n=633)) were worried that a family member could get infected with the virus. 97% (n=655) took precautions when accepting home deliveries, 94% (n=637) had been washing their hands more frequently, and 95% (n=643) had been wearing face masks. In conclusion, participants showed high levels of knowledge and awareness about COVID-19. They were worried about getting infected themselves or their family members, and had good practices against COVID-19.

scholarly journals Stigmatization towards cancer among university students in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Justine ◽  
Meor Syazwan Jafri ◽  
Angelbeth Joanny ◽  
Aiman Nadia Akmar
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Screening ◽  
University Students ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Personal Responsibility ◽  
Income Group ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Level Of Agreement

Introduction: Stigmatization towards cancer is a barrier to early cancer screening and treatment. This study was conducted to determine the level of cancer stigma among Malaysian university students in Malaysia with different sociodemographic backgrounds.Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 400 students (mean age, SD = 22.22 ± 1.67 years) from a selected university in Malaysia. Data were collected from October 2019 to February 2020 through an online survey. The Cancer Stigma Scale (CASS) was used in assessing the levels of cancer stigma among university students with different courses and social backgrounds. The CASS was used in assessing multiple aspects of cancer stigma, including severity, personal responsibility, awkwardness, avoidance, policy opposition, and financial discrimination.Results: Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 23). Results showed that the stigmatization level toward cancer among university students varied across the six subscales. Items regarding the severity of a cancer diagnosis showed the highest level of agreement (32–52%; M = 3.05, SD = 0.96), whereas the item ‘avoiding someone with cancer’ showed the lowest agreement, 7–10% (Mean = 1.85, SD = 0.97). Stigma was significantly higher in young students, males, non-health science students, students in the junior year level, students without family histories of cancer, and the low-income group (p < 0.05).Conclusion: These findings may provide a benchmark of stigmatization level among university students in Malaysia and may be a valuable basis for delivering information and education on cancer screening and treatment.

scholarly journals Smoking habits among 5th and 6th degree medical students

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
C Erden Cengiz ◽  
P Ay ◽  
M Aigbovbiosa ◽  
K Yıldırım ◽  
S Guder
Keyword(s):  
Electronic Cigarettes ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Current Smoker ◽  
Electronic Cigarette ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
School Of Medicine ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Questionnaire Form

Abstract Smoking is the most common cause of preventable mortality and morbidity worldwide. In the fight against tobacco physicians take active role. The objective of this study is to determine the rate and patterns of tobacco use among students of Marmara University School of Medicine (MUSM). This is a cross sectional study carried out in MUSM. The study population were all students studying in the 5th and 6th grades. Data were collected through questionnaires. The questionnaire form included sociodemographics, tobacco usepatterns, quitting attitudes and experiences. Among 410 students, 328 participated. Among all 56.1% were 5th year and 43.9% were 6th year students. The median age was 24 and 55.8% were female. 22.6% of the participants were current smoker. 33.8% of males and 13.7% of females are smoking (p:0,001). Common reasons for starting to smoke were the influence of close friends (11.3%), curosity (8.2%), stress (4.6%). Of the participants, 8.5% had smoked waterpipe. 28.4% of the current smokers still smoke waterpipe, 46.2% had tried to quit more than once and 13.5% wished to quit but had never tried to quit. 40.2% of the participants whose close friend smokes and %44.4 whose partner smokes are current smokers (p:0.001). %70 of current smokers tried at least one time electronic cigarette (p:0.001). Approximately one fourt of the students are current smokers, higher in men. Those who smoked cigarettes had high affinity for waterpipe, electronic cigarettes. Electronic cigarette is fast rising trend daily. Starting smoking and quitting is influenced by close friends and partners. Key messages The primary goal should be to stop the smokers and prevent the start of the smokers. Information should be made on the harms of electronic cigarettes and the community should be informed.

The influence of COVID-19 on healthcare seeking behaviors among students attending a minority-serving institution: A cross-sectional study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neal Malik ◽  
Kassandra Harding ◽  
Andres Garcia
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Medical Providers ◽  
Medical Provider ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Healthcare Seeking ◽  
Signed Rank ◽  
The Relationship

BACKGROUND COVID-19 may influence healthcare seeking behaviors among university students due to their beliefs about the virus, disruptions in access to care, or both. This has not been studied among university students, particularly those attending a minority-serving institution (MSI). OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of COVID-19 on healthcare seeking behaviors among students attending an MSI. METHODS An online survey was sent to all registered students at a public MSI between February and March 2021. Frequency of in-person and virtual contacts with a healthcare professional across a sample of months in 2019 and 2020 were compared using Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests. RESULTS Approximately 52.5% reported no in-person visits during the pandemic compared to 47.8% pre-pandemic (Z = -1.800, P = .07). Approximately 47.7% reported no virtual contact during the pandemic compared to 77.5% reporting no virtual contact with a medical provider pre-pandemic (Z = 11.011, P < .001). When in-person and virtual contacts were combined, 43.5% of respondents reported no virtual or in-person contact with medical providers pre-pandemic compared with 34.1% during the pandemic (Z = 3.918, P <.001). CONCLUSIONS Among university students attending a public MSI, in-person visits and contact with their respective healthcare providers decreased during the current COVID-19 pandemic. These results are of particular importance given the relationship between seeking healthcare and the maintenance of health behaviors.

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