THE SMOKING PRACTICES AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS SMOKING OF FEMALE UNIVERSITY-STUDENTS IN RIYADH

Using a self-administered questionnaire, 663 female university students were asked about their attitude towards and practice of smoking, during the period between December 1991 to February 1992. The response rate obtained was 78%. Of these respondents 45.6% had a formal medical educational background and 54.4% had other scientific educational backgrounds. The smoking prevalence was 8.6% and 11.6% for the medical and the non-medical group respectively, while 53.8% and 71.4% of those who had ever smoked were still smoking in the medical and the non-medical groups. Also 46.2% of the former group and 28.6% of the latter group had quit smoking. Nearly all (99.7%) of those studied were aware of the hazards of smoking. and the media were the major sources of this information. Religious, health and social considerations were important barriers which may inhibit an individual from smoking, as well as a potential pressure to quit. Although doctors recognize that smoking is a major health hazard, many may find this difficult to discuss with female smokers.