Factors associated with the willingness to quit smoking among a cohort of university students in the KSA

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of the willingness to quit smoking among a cohort of male Saudi students. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was administered to a cohort of male students that were recruited from three institutes of higher education. Using the retrieved data, bivariate analysis and logistic regression tests were performed to assess the factors associated with the willingness to quit smoking. Results: Of 467 participants, 24% of respondents were current smokers, while 65% of these smokers were willing to quit smoking. In the bivariate analysis, past attempts to quit smoking and the anti-smoking messages on TV and in newspapers were significantly associated with the willingness to quit smoking. Only one variable - past attempts to quit smoking - was a significant predictor of the willingness to quit smoking, as shown by the multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that Saudi male students who smoke are willing to quit smoking; having unsuccessfully attempted to quit smoking in the past, they are willing to try again. Successful programs should be developed for male university students in KSA to assist them in their quest to quit smoking and maintain cessation.