Hookah: Prevalence, Perceived Harmfulness, and Factors Associated with Its Use among College Students

Introduction: Given the increased use and availability of hookah among the US college students, coupled with the health risks related to its use, the current study examined awareness and use of hookah among college students as well as what characteristics are related to the use of hookah. Methods: The study utilized a self administered anonymous survey to gather information about hookah use from the students in an undergraduate general education class (n = 108). Results: The survey results indicated that the large majority of students were aware of hookah, and nearly half of them had used hookah more than once. Level of social activity (p = .016) and perceived healthy lifestyle (p = .042) were the independent predictors of hookah use. The use of hookah was perceived as more harmful than alcohol use, but not as harmful as cigarette smoking. Conclusions: The findings of this study can serve as a baseline for further studies on the subject, the results of which can lead to development of preventive programs targeting the populations that are most prone to hookah use