Cigarette Smoking among Kassala University Students: Prevalence and Associated Factors

Background: Smoking remains a global public health issue. Like other tobacco products, cigarette smoking pose risk on children and adults both males and females. This study aimed to assess prevalence of cigarette smoking and associated factors among students of Kassala University, Sudan.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 580 male and female students who were studied at Kassala University in the year 2021/2022. They were studied at different academic programs and at different levels. A multistage sampling strategy was used, where each faculty represents a cluster. The data was collected by online questionnaire distributed to the students WhatsApp groups. The data was then analyzed by SPSS version 24. Results: The study findings showed that smoking prevalence is relatively low among Kassala University students, with 30.00% identified as smokers. Notably, smoking rates differ significantly between male and female students, with 61.5% of male students being smokers, compared to only 4.4% of female students. However, no significant variations in smoking prevalence are observed based on the level of study or faculty. Factors influencing tobacco consumption include settings with smokers (40.00%), exam periods (37.24%), leisure (13.10%), and personal/professional problems (9.66%). Conclusion: The study concluded that low prevalence of cigarette smoking among students at Kassala University in Sudan. They were mainly males and they reported that they used cigarette smoking because they sit with peers’ smokers or due to stress of university exams. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to reduce smoking among male students and foster a healthier campus environment.