Prevalence, harm perception, correlates of favourable harm perception and predictors of waterpipe smoking among University of Ibadan undergraduate students

Tobacco kills half of its users, and despite the achievement of public health policies in plummeting cigarette smoking worldwide, waterpipe smoking (WPS) is emerging to sustain tobacco consumption. Hence, this study sought to determine the prevalence, harm perception, correlates of favourable harm perception and predictors of WPS among undergraduate students in University of Ibadan. A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among 390 undergraduate students residing in the halls at the University of Ibadan. Data were obtained using a semi-structured questionnaire and analysed with SPSS 21. A Likert scale was used to determine the harm perception of WPS by current smokers. A Bi-variate analysis was used to test for associations and correlates of favourable harm perception while logistic regression was carried out to determine predictors of WPS. The study revealed that mean age of initiation of WPS was 18.5 ± 2.7years, 3.9% were current users. 33% of current WP users had favourable harm perception. Health warnings on shisha smoking packages and considering shisha use as smoking were significant correlates of favourable harm perception. Ever cigarette smoking [p=0.013; 95% CI; 1.7-84.4], smoking of other products aside cigarette [p=0.012; 95% CI; 1.7-94.0], having all close friends as smokers [p=0.016; 95% CI; 3.3-129.4], having divorced parents [p=0.002; 95% CI; 3.5-216.0] and shisha smoking among siblings [p=0.001; 95% CI; 2.0-124.1] were predictors of current WPS. There is less awareness on WPS health consequences among the University’s undergraduate students. Hence, advocacy strategies on the harms of WPS and specific laws regulating WPS should be established. Funding This study was self financed