Risk perception of waterpipe smoking among undergraduate medical and nursing students in Jordan

Background: Assessing risk perception and behavior of waterpipe tobacco use by health-care professional students can affect their own health and patients' health.Aim: To assess the risk perceptions and behaviors of waterpipe smoking among undergraduate medical and nursing students in Jordan.Method: A descriptive cross sectional design with 505 students from nursing and medical faculties in two Jordanian universities.Results: Students perceived waterpipe smoking as less harmful to health and not as addictive as cigarette smoking. One third were waterpipe smokers, with rates higher among males. There were significant differences in risk perceptions and behaviors of waterpipe smoking amongst nursing and medical students. 16.9% of medical students versus 7.2% of nursing students reported that nicotine in waterpipe is less than that in cigarettes (p<0.002). Overall, students who smoke waterpipe daily were over 30 times more likely to report dependence than those who did not smoke daily.Conclusions: A number of public health control measures should be initiated and enforced in places where waterpipe smoking is practiced including those that are currently in place in regards to cigarette smoking control..