Smoking Patterns and Behaviour
West African
Journal
of
Physical
Health Education
Volume 9.
January 2005
Smoking Patterns and Behaviour
Smoking Patterns and Behaviour of Fresh and
Graduating Physical and Health Education
Students in Tertiary Institutions of Kwara State
O.O. Oyerinde
Abstract
This paper investigated the existing smoking patterns and behaviour of fresh and graduating
students of physical and health education (PHE) in tertiary institutions in Kwara State. One
hundred subjects were sampled using the proportionate random sampling technique to select from
the institutions offering PHE in Kwara State. A previously validated questionnaire (CSAQ) was used
to gather information and collect data for the study. The data were subjected to descriptive
statistics of percentages and chi-square.
Based on the findings of the study-, it was concluded among others that the attitude of fresh
PHE students differ from those of graduating students. Fresh students scored higher on the
attitudinal scale. Also, graduating students had better perception of the elements and effects of
cigarette smoking than fresh students. It was thus recommended that health educators should
convert the improved knowledge of graduating students in the physical and health education
departments on the elements and effects of cigarette smoking to health action; and that some of
the curriculum items in drug, alcohol and smoking education should be moved to lower levels to
help fresh students.
Smoking Patterns and Behaviour
Introduction
Research in the areas of drug use and abuse have included smoking as one of the
dangerous drugs in many parts of the world. Miller (973), Olayemi (1982) and Oyerinde
(1993) expressed the view that drug abuse does not exclude alcohol and tobacco. There are
also studies (Salber Reed and Welsh, 1962; Udoh et al., 1987; Dale and Wane, 1999) that
discouraged school-going children from smoking. cigarette smoking has been found to have
adverse effects on prersonality, intelligence and human will.
As for athletes, Likenfeld (1959) reported that even though smokers are usually eager
to participate in active sports than non-smokers, they are usually more frequently
hospitalised. Also, Salber t: al. (1963) and Oyerinde (1993) showed that cigarette smoking has
adverse effects on sports performance. More specifically, and apart Tom the much publicized
health hazards, additional negative effects ire noticed in athletes who smoke, as against those
who do not. Physical education students are in many respects athletes and the effects of
smoking on athletes, as discussed below and listed by Udoh et al. (1987), Oyerinde (1993)
and Abramov (1988), are directly -elated to them in their performance levels during
physical education activities. These are that:
a.
Athletes (physical and health education students) who smoke often have breathing
difficulties during sports performance and physical education activities.
b.
Athletes (physical and health education students) who smoke usually have trembling
hands and this, at times, affects the performance in events requiring handling or
carrying of objects, such as in baton exchange in relay races and passes in
basketball and volleyball.
c.
Usually, the skin temperature of a smoker is more than 1 degree Fahrenheit lower than
that of a non-smoker (Brooks and Brooks, 1979). Thus, it will take a smoker athlete
(physical and health education students) longer time to warm up for physical
activities than a non-smoker athlete or physical and health education student
(Fawole, 1986 and Oyerinde, 1993).
d.
Smoker athletes (physical and health education students) do not enjoy complete
acceptance by peers, on account of their discoloured teeth and unpleasant smell
from their breathing and clothes.
e.
Financially, smoking drains the purse and expectedly those of smoking athletes and
physical and health education students.
Smoking Patterns and Behaviour
Although, these adverse effects of drug abuse and, more specifically, cigarette smoking are
widely known by youths. Nigerian youths and students engage in smoking. Mike (1983) found
that 40% of the students he sampled were smokers. Fawole (1986) also reported that irrespective
of religious beliefs, academic discipline, age and sex, smoking was a common phenomenon
among secondary school students. Ogunremi and Rotimi (1979) found 16% cigarette smoking
prevalence among secondary school students in a university town, while Elegbeleye and FemiPearse (1974) found a prevalence of 17.5% among male and 2.7% among female students in some
secondary schools in Lagos. In addition to these findings, Udoh (1982), in concluding his research
on the beliefs, opinions and behaviours of drug use among secondary school students in Ibadan,
stated that his subjects were very familiar with the use of alcoholic beverages, marijuana and
cigarette. Similarly, Moronkola (1995), Jegede (1998) and Adelekan (2000) found a high
prevalence of drug abuse among youths in secondary schools and universities. Students were
found to abuse substances such as beer, palm wine, gin, whisky, snuff, cigarette and hemp.
It is therefore expected that these secondary school students carry the habit of smoking into
the university. Whether or not this is so and whether physical and health education students are
also involved in such practice constitute the rationale for this study.
Statement of the Problem
Today in Nigeria, there is much concern for the increase in the rate of childhood and
adolescent smoking. Fawole (1986), Mike (1983), Ogunremi and Rotimi (1979) and Elegbeleye and
Femi-Pearse (1974) asserted that students, including university students, are commonly involved
in smoking, irrespective of their religious beliefs, academic discipline, age and sex.
This study therefore investigated the cigarette smoking behaviours, smoking patterns and
attitude towards smoking of fresh and graduating students of physical and health education in
the tertiary institutions in Kwara State. The objective of the study was to ascertain the
differentials in the smoking patterns, behaviours and attitudes of new and graduating students
of physical and health education in the tertiary institutions.
The following research questions guided the conduct of the study:
1.
Will there be a difference in the cigarette smoking habits of fresh and graduating
physical and health education students in the tertiary institutions of Kwara State?
2.
Will there be a difference in the cigarette smoking patterns of fresh and graduating
physical and health education students in the tertiary institutions in Kwara State?
3.
Will the physical and health education curriculum items affect the perceptions of
students in the department of physical and health education about the effect of
cigarette smoking on health?
Research Hypothesis
The following hypotheses were tested:
1.
There will be no significant difference in the cigarette smoking habits of fresh and
graduating physical and health education students in the tertiary institutions in Kwara
Smoking Patterns and Behaviour
State.
2.
There will be no significant difference in the cigarette smoking patterns of fresh and
graduating physical and health education students in the tertiary institutions in Kwara
State.
3.
The perception of fresh and graduating physical and health education students will
not be significantly influenced by the physical and health education curriculum.
Significance of the Study
Some scientists have argued that smoking trends are diminishing vie to education. On
the other hand, it is assumed that fresh students will not be great cigarette smokers, since
they are not very posed. This study is significant in clarifying these assumptions and
ascertaining if the exposure to a physical education curriculum will produce positive influence
on smoking among Nigerian physical education students and, hence, among all students
in tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.
The findings will assist departments to improve on the quality of drug education
curriculum and step up drug cessation
programmes. Also, the study will help health
educators in particular and other handlers of the general welfare of Nigerian students to
appreciate better the dilemma of Nigerian students and develop programmes and means to
offer
them
better,
compensatory behaviours. Moreover, researchers can use and
adapt the findings and Delusions of this study to further studies, as the findings will add
literature on smoking behaviours.
Methodology
The population for the study were the beginning and graduating physical and health education
students in the departments of physical and health education in the tertiary institutions of
Kwara State. The institutions thus covered were the University of Ilorin and the Kwara State
colleges of education in Oro, Patigi and Ilorin. However the colleges of education and the
University of Ilorin where departments of physical and health education existed were used,
exempting the polytechnic institutions, since they had no departments of physical and
health education. The proportionate random sampling technique was used to select a
representative sample from these institutions.
The study design was descriptive survey. A previously validated questionnaire titled,
'Cigarette smoking attitude questionnaire' (CSAQ) was used to bring out responses from
subjects, as to use, consumption levels, number of smokers in the beginning and graduating
classes, motivating factors and differentials in the pattern of smoking among fresh and
graduating students. However, the questionnaire was further validated and tested for reliability,
using the split-half method. Only 50 students were sampled from the Department of Physical
Smoking Patterns and Behaviour
and Health Education of St. Andrews College Oyo State. A 0.79r coefficient was obtained. Data
collected was analyzed using percentages, mean scores and chi square statistic.
Results and Discussion of Findings
Hypothesis 1
There will be no significant difference in the cigarette smoking habits of fresh and
graduating physical and health education students in the tertiary institutions of Kwara State.
To test this hypothesis, the cigarette smoking attitude questionnaire (CSAQ) was applied.
The responses were categorized into high and low levels, as explained in the table 1. All
participants scoring below the derived mean score of the Likert scale were deemed low, while
those above the mean were deemed high.
Table 1; Cigarette smoking habits and attitudes
Category
Beginning PHE students
Graduating PHE students
Column total
Low
High
Row
m
Wo
Fk.
35.3
51.2
47.0
64.7
48.8
53.0
26.1
73.9
X2
19.10*
100
X2 = 19.10;df 1:P>0.05 Results are presented for each group as number and row column and total
percentages • Significant at O.05 level
The analysis presented in table 1 shows that the data obtained were significantly
different at 0.05 level, with 1 degree of freedom at a table value of 3.84. This implies that
there was a significant difference in the habits and attitudes of fresh and graduating
physical and health education students to cigarette smoking. Graduating students scored
low (51.2%) on the attitudinal and habit scale, as against the fresh students who scored high
(64.7%). The hypothesis was therefore rejected and the alternative upheld that there is a
significant difference in the attitudes and habits of graduating and beginning PHE
students to smoking.
Hypothesis 2
There will be no significant difference in the cigarette smoking patterns of fresh and
graduating physical and heath education students in the tertiary institutions of Kwara
State.
Smoking Patterns and Behaviour
Table 2: Cigarette smoking patterns of participants
Category
x % for all
subjects
X2
x% for
male
Beginning PHE
26.1
1.16NS
36.8
73.9
63.0
100
100
X2
x% tor
female
X2
13.7*
15.7
9.22«
84.3%
13.71*
84.3
students
Graduating PHE
students
Column total
100
X2= 1.16;df = l:P>0.05
MS- not significant at P 0 05 level
'* Significant P< 0.05 level
Table 2 shows the calculated chi-square value of 1.16, which indicates that the smoking
patterns of beginning and graduating physical and health education students in the tertiary
institutions of Kwara State did not differ significantly from one another. However, the smoking
patterns of male students of both groups differed significantly. Furthermore, the smoking
patterns showed a significant difference among female students of both groups. The X2 value of
1.16 noted for all subjects was not significant. This means that hypothesis 2, which states that
there will be no significant difference in the smoking patterns of beginning and graduating
physical and health education students in the tertiary institutions of Kwara State, was accepted.
The significant X2 value of 13.7 found for male students and 9.22 for female students,
with 1 degree of freedom each at a probability level of 0.05 supports the fact that male and
female students will behave differently towards the use of cigarette.
Hypothesis 3
The perception of fresh and graduating physical and health education students will not be
significantly influenced by the physical and health education curriculum.
To test this hypothesis, the responses to the questionnaire items that treated the perception
levels on the elements and effects of cigarette smoking were collected and treated according to
subjects' levels of agreement and disagreement with the items. Table 3 presents the analysis.
Table 3: Percentages and chi-square analysis of participants' responses to perception related items
Category
x% for all "x2 for all subjects X2
subjects (low)
(high)
Fresh PHE students
57.3
42.3
Graduating PHE students
42.7
57.7
Column total X%
100
100
X2 = 5.75: df 1:P> 0.05
* Significant with 1 degree of freedom at P 0.05 level.
5.75*
Smoking Patterns and Behaviour
Table 3 reveals that the subjects' scores on the grouped questionnaire items were
significantly different at P 0.05 level, with 1 degree of freedom and a table value of 3.84. The
chi-square value calculated was 5.75. While more fresh students scored low (57.3%) to the
low score (42.7%) of the graduating students, more graduating students scored high
(57.7%) to the low score (42.3%) of fresh students. This means that the levels of perception
of the elements and effects of cigarette smoking differ among the groups. By these results,
hypothesis 3, which states that there will be no significant difference in the perception of
fresh and graduating students on cigarette smoking, was rejected. More graduating
students than fresh students showed greater awareness level and a better perception of the
elements of cigarette smoking.
Discussion
Hypothesis 1
Hypothesis 1, which states that there will be no significant difference in the cigarette
smoking behaviour and attitude of beginning and graduating physical and health education
students in the tertiary institutions of Kwara State, was rejected. This suggests that there was
a significant difference in their cigarette smoking behaviour and attitudes; and that the
attitude of graduating students to cigarette smoking was poor, as against that of fresh
students. This result was unexpected, as it was earlier assumed that graduating students
of physical and health education would have gone through a number of courses to have
improved their attitudes and behaviours towards cigarette smoking (Horn, 1963).
Dale and Wanye (1999) regarded such dramatic reactions in behaviours and attitudes of
youths as being related to peer influence and changing societal values, as well as the
emotional state of the youths. The finding of this study is similar to that of Rougman (1985),
where increased use of cigarette was discovered among British medical students. The
assumption that fresh students will use cigarette less because they are 'unexposed' and
new to social, religious and personal freedom was, therefore, reaffirmed.
Hypothesis 2
The results obtained on this hypothesis revealed that the smoking patterns of subjects did not
differ. This confirmed that the smoking pattern for fresh and graduating physical and
health education students will not be significantly different. However, a breakdown of data in
the male and female categories revealed a significant difference in the cigarette smoking
patterns. While a non-significant difference was obtained for all subjects involved, there
was a significant difference between the male and female physical and health education
students' cigarette smoking patterns, when treated separately. Thus, there is no difference
between a fresh and a graduating student, with regard to cigarette smoking pattern. To
Smoking Patterns and Behaviour
smokers, smoking follows a similar use pattern. Academic work in tertiary institution does
not constitute a variable strong enough to influence the smoking pattern of fresh and
graduating students.
Hypothesis 3
The results for this hypothesis (see table 3) showed that there is a significant difference between
the perception levels of fresh and graduating physical and health education students of the
elements and effects of cigarette smoking. The direction of difference showed that the perception
of graduating students about the elements and effects of cigarette is higher and better than that
of fresh students. This seems to mirror the fact that graduating students are more knowledgeable
about cigarette smoking than the fresh students. It also upholds the assumption that exposure
to the physical and health education programme improves knowledge of students.
Conclusions
Based on the findings of the study, it is concluded that:
a
The attitudes of fresh physical and health education students differ from those of
graduating students. The fresh students
b
scored higher on the attitudinal scale;
The smoking patterns of smokers of fresh and graduating physical and health
education students do not differ:
c
Graduating students have a better perception of the elements and effects of cigarette
smoking than the perception of fresh students.
Recommendations
It was recommended that health educators in the physical and health education
department should find means of converting the improved knowledge of graduating students
in the department about the elements and effects of cigarette smoking to health action. This will
enhance drug and cigarette cessation, less peer actions and cultic activities among students of
the department. Also, some of the curriculum items on drug, alcohol and smoking should be
moved to the lower levels of the department to enhance early perception of the elements and
effects of cigarette smoking among fresh students.
Smoking Patterns and Behaviour
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