Students:
Aws Jarrar
Ahmad Tarayra
Tasneem Khdairat
Hanadi Khadour
Rawan Ghnaimat
Supervisor:
Dr.Hamzeh Al Zabadi
Abstract:
Background:Approaching high socioeconomic females’ group toward environmental tobacco smoking (ETS) has little been studied. The aim of the present study was to assess the high educated females’ knowledge, attitudes and avoidance behavior towards ETS exposure in order to appropriately focus the targets in smoking prevention programs.
Methods:A qualitative descriptive study using a previously validated and standard face-to-face administered questionnaire was conducted at An-Najah National University (the largest Palestinian university in the West Bank. A convenient sample of two-hundred and two non-smokers females were selected from the university.
Results:We found high exposure rates to ETS among the educated females (nearly 50% were exposed in their homes and 88% in restaurants). The study participants reported high level of knowledge regarding the risk of ETS exposure and high attitudes toward the negative influence of the ETS on health. Surprisingly enough, they have reported low levels of practice and avoidance behavior toward ETS exposure compared to their knowledge level.
Conclusion: Our findings highlight the necessary of implementing smoking prevention initiatives not only for low socioeconomic status females, but also for the highly-educated ones with higher socioeconomic status. By these initiatives, ETS hazard will not be knowledgably understood, but rather a lifestyle habit.
