Najla S. Dar-Odeh, Mariam Al-Abdalla, Nadiajda O. Khdairi, Khadijeh B. Al- Abedalla, Rand S Abdel-Jawad and Osama A. Abu-Hammad
This study aimed at estimating the number of users of different types of tobacco, particularly narghile (water pipe) among a sample of faculty staff members working in a Jordanian university. It also investigated the attitudes of narghile smokers to their habit, together with their willingness to stop narghile smoking; and finally their awareness to oral health and their perceptions about the harmful effects of this habit. The study was a cross-sectional survey whereby the sample was randomly selected from all the faculties, institutes and centers of the university. A preprepared questionnaire was distributed and completed by participants. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS program. A total of eighty nine or (6.2%) of staff members participated in the study including 19 females and 70 males. Most of smokers (51.6%) were deniers and most deniers (62.5%) smoked narghile either exclusively or in combination with cigarettes. The most frequently reported harmful effect of narghile smoking was the presence of toxic materials. Almost half of narghile smokers were interested to quit the habit. Narghile smoking is showing popularity among university staff members who perceive this habit as a social and not as a risk-to-health behavior. Urgent measures are needed to counteract the popularity of narghile smoking among university staff members
