Canadian and English students' beliefs about waterpipe smoking: a qualitative study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Waterpipe smoking is becoming popular among western students. The aim was to understand the appeal to students of this form of smoking when other forms of smoking are becoming less common.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p&g...

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Main Authors: Aveyard Paul, Roskin Jeremy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2009-01-01
Series:BMC Public Health
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/9/10
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author Aveyard Paul
Roskin Jeremy
author_facet Aveyard Paul
Roskin Jeremy
author_sort Aveyard Paul
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Waterpipe smoking is becoming popular among western students. The aim was to understand the appeal to students of this form of smoking when other forms of smoking are becoming less common.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Waterpipe smokers were identified by snowball sampling and interviewed following a semi-structured schedule in waterpipe cafes and in their homes. Constant comparative analysis was used to derive themes for the analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Waterpipe smokers saw smoking as an alternative to more expensive nights out in bars. The appeal was related to the communal activity and the novelty of the experience. Respondents had not thought deeply about the health risks and reasoned that if no warnings about waterpipe smoking were apparent (unlike cigarette smoking) then it was probably safe. These observations were reinforced by observations about the mildness of the smoke, the fruit flavours, and beliefs about the filtering of the water. Waterpipe smokers felt no pressure to stop smoking and therefore had not tried to do so, but felt it might be something they did not continue after university. Waterpipe smoking was not linked in students' minds to other forms of smoking except in one individual who was using waterpipe smoking to help quit cigarettes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In the absence of public health information, students have fallen back on superficial experiences to form views that waterpipe smoking is less harmful than other forms of smoking and it is currently much more acceptable in student society than other forms of smoking.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-a9247f0c08e549209a9c2a5ca9a6703a2022-12-21T21:05:06ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582009-01-01911010.1186/1471-2458-9-10Canadian and English students' beliefs about waterpipe smoking: a qualitative studyAveyard PaulRoskin Jeremy<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Waterpipe smoking is becoming popular among western students. The aim was to understand the appeal to students of this form of smoking when other forms of smoking are becoming less common.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Waterpipe smokers were identified by snowball sampling and interviewed following a semi-structured schedule in waterpipe cafes and in their homes. Constant comparative analysis was used to derive themes for the analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Waterpipe smokers saw smoking as an alternative to more expensive nights out in bars. The appeal was related to the communal activity and the novelty of the experience. Respondents had not thought deeply about the health risks and reasoned that if no warnings about waterpipe smoking were apparent (unlike cigarette smoking) then it was probably safe. These observations were reinforced by observations about the mildness of the smoke, the fruit flavours, and beliefs about the filtering of the water. Waterpipe smokers felt no pressure to stop smoking and therefore had not tried to do so, but felt it might be something they did not continue after university. Waterpipe smoking was not linked in students' minds to other forms of smoking except in one individual who was using waterpipe smoking to help quit cigarettes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In the absence of public health information, students have fallen back on superficial experiences to form views that waterpipe smoking is less harmful than other forms of smoking and it is currently much more acceptable in student society than other forms of smoking.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/9/10
spellingShingle Aveyard Paul
Roskin Jeremy
Canadian and English students' beliefs about waterpipe smoking: a qualitative study
BMC Public Health
title Canadian and English students' beliefs about waterpipe smoking: a qualitative study
title_full Canadian and English students' beliefs about waterpipe smoking: a qualitative study
title_fullStr Canadian and English students' beliefs about waterpipe smoking: a qualitative study
title_full_unstemmed Canadian and English students' beliefs about waterpipe smoking: a qualitative study
title_short Canadian and English students' beliefs about waterpipe smoking: a qualitative study
title_sort canadian and english students beliefs about waterpipe smoking a qualitative study
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/9/10
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