Urban college student self-report of hookah use with health care providers

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study's purpose was to describe urban college students’ communication about hookah with health care providers. Participants: Participants included a random sample of undergraduate urban college students and health care providers. Methods: Students surveyed determined the epidemiology of hookah use in this population, how many health care providers asked about hookah, and how many students admitted hookah use to a physician. Results: Of 375 students surveyed, 78 (20.8%) had never tried it, 284 (75.7%) had smoked hookah at least once, and 64 students (22.6%) were classified as frequent hookah smokers. Only 15 (4.7%) reported a health care provider asking about hookah during visits, whereas 36 (12.7%) admitted their hookah use to a health care provider. Conclusion: Hookah use was found to be highly prevalent among students in one urban university. This study supports the hypothesis that few health care providers broach the topic with patients. Additional research on health consequences of hookah use, education, and improved screening is warranted.

KEYWORDS:

• College students
• hookah
• public health
• shisha

Abbreviations

CO	=	carbon monoxide
COPD	=	chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
WHO	=	World Health Organization

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements of United States of America and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Drexel University.

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge Renee Davis, MD, MPH at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health for her assistance in editing the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Samir Ranjit Jani

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Darryl Brown

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Zekarias Berhane

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Nadja Peter

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Susan Solecki

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Renee Turchi

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All authors made substantive intellectual contributions toward the manuscript and have approved the version being submitted here.