title: The Role of Psychosocial and Belief Factors in Self-Reported Cigarette Smoking Among University Students in Malaysia.
abstract: This study aimed to explore factors associated, specifically belief factors, with self-reported tobacco smoking status. A sample of 300 students was recruited from a private university in Malaysia. Data was collected using a pre-tested self-administrated questionnaire that investigated various factors including socio-demographics, socio-economic status, smoking behavior and beliefs on tobacco smoking. The main tobacco use in this study sample was cigarettes and the estimated prevalence of self-reported cigarette smoking was 10.3%. In bivariate analysis, self-reported cigarette smoking was significantly associated with socio-demographic, behavioral factors and faculty of study (P<0.05). In multivariate modeling, being male and a non-medical student, did not exercise, having a smoker father and brother or sister, suffering from financial difficulties and having the belief that smokers had more friends, all had statistically significant associations (P<0.05) with self-reported cigarette smoking. Social and interpersonal factors were associated with self-reported cigarette smoking status. A comprehensive health model focusing on changing the social norms of parent and sibling tobacco smoking and students' beliefs, alongside nurturing skills of dealing with stressful situations, warrant implementation.
authors.affiliation: International Medical University , Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Dubai
authors.affiliation: Management and Science University , Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Kurubaran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ganasegeran
authors.affiliation: Newcastle University of Medicine , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alshagga
authors.affiliation: Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London , UK.
authors.forename: Aamenah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hawash
authors.affiliation: Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Wahid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wajih
authors.affiliation: Queen Mary University of London, Institute of Dentistry, Department of Dental Public Health, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry , London, UK.
authors.forename: Saba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kassim
keywords: financial difficulties; friendship; physically inactive; social modeling; tobacco