Factors That Influence Smoking Habits among Saudi Students - Essay Example

Lecturer TABLE OF CONTENTS Literature Review…………………………………………………………….…… 3 Research Questions---------------------------------------------------------------------------4 Aims of the study-----------------------------------------------------------------------------5 Hypothesis-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5 Research plan, methods and techniques ---------------------------------------------------7 Study design -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------7 Participants and recruitment-----------------------------------------------------------------8 Ethical Implications------------------------------------------------------------------------9 References-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11 Literature Review Epidemiological research has presented a number of harmful effects of smoking. In Saudi Arabia, smoking has been the cause responsible for many cancer cases reported frequently, with a number of them dying due to passive smoking. The analysis of this paper applies quantitative method dealing with the issue of interconnections among various variables in the study (Baker et al. 2004, p. 49). It is explained that quantitative method is instrumental in interpretation of papers through selection of relevant data, analysis of collected data with proper explanations and recommendations (Bellenir 2007, p. 78). Despite the widely acceptance, some scholars have opposed it, raising the arguments that it does not capture the entire sources of social influence especially among youths and the predicators it defines are not usually sufficient either (Bouzigard & Saidel 2010). For detailed understanding, studies should always be theory based. In this analysis, the theory of planned behavior was adopted as the theoretical framework to enhance the understanding (Ajzen 1991, p. 201). This theory asserts that when a person has a strong positive attitude, his/her subject norms will be stronger and the perceived control over the behavior will be greater; the intention to perform a particular behavior will be high, leading to involvement in that particular behavior. This theory is related to the influence students undergo in Saudi Arabia, leading to smoking instances (Kobus 2003, p. 36). Due to peer pressure, innocent students usually backslide and consequently follow the meek behaviors of their colleagues. Non-smoking students finally get themselves smoking. Most students in Saudi Arabia associate smoking with tobacco and not other substances. This is the reason why the government declared Saudi Arabia a free tobacco nation in 2000 (Garner & Alty 2005). In some instances, teachers smoke before their students, leading to poor role modeling (Connolly 2001, p. 31). Students from smoking families who also see their teachers smoke will have the courage to participate in advertisements designed to promote its consumption amongst the youths (Higgins & Conner 2003). Research Question What are the factors that influence smoking habits among Saudi students and how they can quit smoking for life? Aims of the Research study The study aims to highlight how smoking affects behavior of students and the negative impacts it brings. Records from world heath organizations indicate that between 1999 and 2008 smoking amongst young people started between the ages of 13–15. Another set of data collected between 1999 and 2009 indicates that smoking prevalence ranges between 2.4% and 37%. The findings point fingers on desire, idleness, enjoyment and peer pressure as the major reasons for young people, especially students who are driven to involve themselves in smoking. In this analysis both smoking initiation and cessation will be discussed (Parker 2009, p. 78). The study further investigates some of the driving forces behind smoking among students. It concludes by focusing on some of the mechanisms and policies adopted to control smoking incidences, besides presenting a recommendation (Balkin 2005, p. 87). In a nut shell, the study is designed to answer the main paper question, i.e. factors that influence smoking habits among Saudi students and how they can quit smoking for life. Hypotheses It is axiomatically argued that anyone staying with a smoker risks suffering the effects faced by the real smoker. This study is driven by the concerns and yearns to dichotomize the unembellished topic and identify strategies which can be used to reduce the menace that threatens to negatively rock the corners of Saudi Arabia (Hunnicutt 2009, p. 54). The paper developed the hypotheses to assist in answering the question ‘Factors that influence smoking habits among Saudi students and how they can quit smoking for life’. Some of the hypotheses presented by the paper to discuss reasons behind smoking among Saudi Arabian students and how the problem can be addressed include: 1. Peer pressure and poor parental modeling are responsible for smoking incidences in Saudi Arabia. 2. Training on good morals by the teachers and parents is the major reason by which smoking can be discouraged. 3. Theory of planned behavior predicts Saudi student’s intentions to quit smoking. 4. A number of people who smoke are high school students who mostly live in urban centers. 5. Students in Saudi Arabia prefer to smoke during their leisure time. The study used the above hypotheses as the null hypotheses to compare with the alternative hypotheses. Research Plan This research will be carried out among Saudi Arabia students, especially those who have been smoking or those intending to do so. The questionnaires were sent to different participants, with approval and acceptance to participate in the survey. Before the study was carried out, the researcher was expected to present the topic to the research committee for approval. Designing of a questionnaire was necessary to assist in getting information from the clients. The researcher was then to visit the participant to carry out the interviews. During this time the respondent was expected to accompany himself with all the required ethical documents. Before taking part in the study, the researcher explained to the respondent some of his/ her rights and the ethical implications accompanied. All the legal requirements, expectations and the benefits to be derived by the participant were to be explained. Finally, the researcher will analyze and present the figures and findings. Research Methods A number of research methods were applied in this concept paper. The data applied survey methods to administer questionnaire to the participants. This was done in a structural manner to make it easy and simple to answer the questionnaire. The secondary information which was applied was obtained from the historical data presented. The literature review discusses some of the information which is already there in the journals. The literature extends further to analyze the content which is presented in the information. The content analysis method assisted in this and discourse analysis helped in putting the information into focus. Finally, given that the information was quantitative in nature, the structural analysis approach assisted in this to make the paper be successful. Given that the information contained biometrical data, the method of analyzing bio-data was applied. Research Techniques Being data that require succinct information, the paper has been structured to adopt a quantitative approach of designing questionnaires to help interview the participants. The questionnaire has been designed to have 20 students, all of which are structured to make it easier for the researcher to answer the questions formulated above. The calculation which accompanies quantitative data makes it easier for the data to be represented in numerical form. The data are more convincing and simple to understand with ease to interpret (Godin et al. 1992). The rationale behind adapting questionnaire revolves around objectives and the accuracy of results. The data provided make it possible for the calculation of means, variances, and standard deviation among other important mathematical computations. The method is also preferred to qualitative information since a researcher can compare a number of variables which are accompanied, reducing the possibilities of biases in the results (Creswell 2009, p. 76). Despite the strengths of the quantitative approach, some researchers have argued that it gives limited information unlike the qualitative approach that gives more detailed information. The data are also regarded as giving artificial information which is not sufficient enough to arrive at conclusion. Study Design The study was designed to allow the researcher to collect both primary and secondary data. The primary data shall be collected by a structured questionnaire containing 20 students. A sample of 20 students was picked to participate in the study. The secondary data provided information which helped list the literature of the paper. A stratified random sampling will be adopted to recruit participants to take part in this study. This was applied as it gives an opportunity to identify a group or a subgroup (stratum) from a given populace. This sampling technique was adopted since it ensures that specific groups are represented (students who are already smoking, and those jogging to join the club) by selecting individuals from the stratum list. The only limitation associated with this technique is that it is complicated as compared to simple random sampling. The stratum must be carefully defined and identified (Hereford & Shuetrim 2000). Participants and Recruitment A total number of 20 students were sampled to participate in the study. The recruitment was on a stratum basis after which the probability of participation was one. All the participants were aged between 15 and 16 with at least some income, irrespective of the source. All the participants were young people who had reached the age of 6th grade or less in high school, high school diploma, junior college degree and graduate degree. The participants were mostly those who had ever smoked in life with most of them having smoked from 5 cigarettes going forward. The duration was very important as it helped the researcher to predict the level of addiction on the participant’s part (Taha 2001, p. 117). All the participants before recruitment were expected to read and sign all the required ethical forms prior to taking part in the study. This provided a legal background through which the study was to be guided. Ethical Implications Before the study was carried out, a number of ethical documents were drafted and approved by the research committee in the university. A standardized verbal script was used in incidences when the questionnaires would be carried verbally. A letter of introduction was prepared to ensure that the participant approves the genuineness of the person who is collecting the data. It acted as the linking block between the researcher and the participant. This letter was supposed to originate from the research coordinator. The participant information sheet was meant to provide succinct information to the participant. It assisted the respondents in knowing their rights during research, for instance, the right of freedom to stop participating in the study any time during data collection. Finally, the consent form helped the participant to make a decision on whether he/she wanted to take part in the survey. It is up to the respondent to decide on whether he/she wants to give his/her opinions on the presented questions. With this information, the respondents were free to share their information with the researcher. References Ajzen, I 1991, ‘The theory of planned behavior’, Organization Behavior and Human Processes, vol. 50, pp. 179–211. Balkin, K 2005, Tobacco and smoking, Greenhaven Press, San Diego. Baker, T, Brandon, T & Chassin L 2004, ‘Motivational influences in cigarette smoking’, Annual Review of Psychology, vol. 55, pp. 463–491. Bellenir, K 2007, Tobacco information for teens: health tips about the hazards of using cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and other nicotine product: including facts about nicotine addiction, immediate and long-term health effects of tobacco use, related cancers, smoking cessation, tobacco use prevention, and tobacco use statistics, Omnigraphics, Detroit, MI. Bouzigard, A & Saidel, B 2010, Archaeological evidence for the consumption of tobacco and coffee in Ottoman Arabia, East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C. Connolly, S 2001, Tobacco, Heinemann Library, Chicago. Creswell, J 2009, Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, Los Angeles, Sage. Garner, J & Alty, J 2005, Smoking tobacco, Axis Education, Shrewsbury. Godin, G, Valois, P, Lepage, L & Desharnais, R 1992, ‘Predictors of smoking behavior: an application of Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior’, British Journal of Addiction, vol. 87, pp. 1335–1343. Hereford, N & Shuetrim, G 2000, Using stratified sampling methods to improve percentile estimates in the context of risk measurement, Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, Sydney. Higgins, A & Conner, M 2003, ‘Understanding adolescent smoking: the role of theory of planned behavior and implementation intentions’, Psychology, Health & Medicine, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 173–531. Hunnicutt, S 2009, Tobacco and smoking: opposing viewpoints, Greenhaven Press, Detroit. Kobus, K 2003, ‘Peers and adolescents smoking’, Addiction, vol. 98, no. 1, pp. 37–55. Pietrusza, D 1997, Smoking, Lucent Books, San Diego, CA. Taha, A 2001, ‘Comparison of patterns of substance abuse in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates’, Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, vol. 29, no. 6, pp.116–149. Parker, M 2009, 2009 world forecasts of smoking pipes, pipe bowls, cigar or cigarette holders, and parts thereof export supplies, ICON Group. Read More