Factors related to the use of hookah among medical students

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the factors related to the use of hookah among medical students, the level of knowledge about the involved harms, and their relationship with the use and intention to stop using it. METHODS: Students of the 1st and 6th year of medical school were evaluated. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between the outcome (use of hookah in the last 30 days) and demographic, subjective psychosocial data and level of knowledge about the harms of hookah use. RESULTS: The experimentation rate of hookah and current use was high (59.6% and 27.7%, respectively), with no difference between the 1st and 6th year groups (p=0.70). The 6(th) grade students were more knowledgeable about the harm of using hookah when compared to the 1(st) year students (p <0.0001), and there was no association between the use of hookah in the last 30 days and the knowledge about its harms. Cigarette smoking and the use of alcoholic beverages were associated with the use of hookah in the last 30 days, with unadjusted Odds Ratio (OR) of 11.3; 95% CI 4.62-27.7; p <0.0001 and OR 8.74; 95% CI 3.78-20.2; p <0.0001; respectively. CONCLUSION: There is a high experimentation, current use of hookah and cigarettes among medical students. Sixth year students are more knowledgeable about the harms involved. There was no association between the use of hookah in the last 30 days and the knowledge about its harms. Smoking and the use of alcoholic beverages are independent predictors of use of hookah.