Use of hookah in medical faculty students and reasons for choice

Introduction and Aim: In Aydın Adnan Menderes University Medical Faculty students, we aimed to define the frequency of drinking hookah, which is a serious health hazard and is increasing in use, the causes and the factors that cause hookah to become widespread. In addition, we aim to set an example in terms of revealing the status of the candidate physicians regarding hookah use. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study in Aydın Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Medicine, which constitutes the universe of all students studying in the 2019-2020 academic year. A structured questionnaire consisting of 3 questions and 23 questions, including questions about the sociodemographic characteristics, hookah usage behaviors and smoking behaviors of students were used. Going to the faculty informed the students about the research and a form was applied to the students who agreed to participate in the research. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 18.0 statistics program. Descriptive statistics, number, percentage, mean, + - standard deviation (min, max values) are given. In the statistical analysis, to evaluate the categorical data, pearson chi-square in 2x2 tables and multi-eyed chi-square tests in more eyed tables were used. Type 1 error value was evaluated as 5%, and p value was considered significant if <0.05. Results: 978 students participated in the study. The average age of the participants is 20.95 ± 1.83 years (17-27) and 49,7% are female and 50,3% are male. While 70,8% (n = 692) of the students said that they did not smoke hookahs, 13,2% (n = 129) said that they drank, 16,1% (n = 157) sometimes. The number of students who drank a hookah several times a year, preferred cafes to drink hookahs and preferred to drink hookah flavored was the majority. While students preferred water pipe for ambiance, friend atmosphere and pleasure, they started hookah because of friend effect, pleasantness and curiosity. More than half did not think about quitting smoking hookah, and the number of those whose family did not know that they smoked hookah was more. While the number of people who say that the hookah is harmful is high, 57,5% said that the hookah is more harmful than smoking, and even more, hookah is addictive. In diseases transmitted by hookah, respiratory diseases were most frequently marked, and then tuberculosis was selected. While 61,5% of the participants in the 67 study never smoked, 30,7% actively smoked. There was no significant difference in the status of hookah drinking on a class basis. It was found meaningful that 6th grade students chose the stress factor for their reasons for starting hookah and that their families did not interfere with the hookah. 1st and 2nd year students found that hookah was less harmful than cigarette, compared to other classes. As the grade level increased, saying that the hookah transmitted the disease, the status of the information about the hookah-transmitted diseases and the narrative saying that the hookah was addictive increased significantly. On the basis of gender, male drank more hookahs and the time they devote to hookahs was more. Female were more likely to say that hookah is harmful to health, that hookah is infected and addictive than men. Similar to the hookah, male smoked more. Those who stayed at home with a friend had a higher hookah consumption rate than other places. For reasons of starting hookah and preference, those who lived alone at home chose the environment of friends significantly higher. People who lived with their family at home had higher rates of quitting hookah. In the comparison of hookahs and cigarettes, while the rate of smokers smoking was found to be high, the rate of smoking hookah increased as the number of years of smoking and the amount of cigarettes smoked daily increased. Conclusions: In our study, in which we examined the status of hookah smoking and related factors among medical students, there was a linear relationship between hookah smoking and smoking. The hookah drink was higher in male and did not change with the progressing class. However, in contradiction with this situation, advanced students had more information about the harm of the hookah, the disease infectiousness and the types of the disease it infects. Although advanced classes had more knowledge, they continued to smoke hookahs. Among the reasons for starting hookah, friend and stress factor stood out. Friends and lonely living in the higher rate of smoking a waterpipe, while living with his family in the dropout rate was higher hookah. The frequency of hookah use is increasing in our society. Anti-tobacco propaganda needs to be expanded not only to cigarettes but also to hookahs and all other tobacco products. Because it is seen that the hookah and cigarette combination is strong. As seen in the study, the aroma in the hookah is a preferred element in the hookah. For this reason, measures should be taken for flavored hookah. It should be known that hookah is also a tobacco product and addictive. As the rate of drinking among young people increases, it is important to inform the families and the society about the harms caused by the hookah and increase the awareness on this issue.