Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices regarding different aspects of Tobacco use among Students from El-Imam El-Mahdi University in Sudan

Background: Tobacco use is a major public health concern globally, leading to preventable illnesses and deaths. In Sudan, the increasing use of tobacco among youth is a significant issue, contributing to high mortality and morbidity rates with long-term health consequences. Objective: To evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices related to tobacco use among college students at El-Imam El-Mahdi University in Sudan. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 359 students selected through multistage probability sampling from March to June 2023. A modified survey instrument, based on the WHO adult GATS survey on tobacco use, was used for data collection. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 22. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze demographic data, while independent sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA were employed to assess relationships among variables. Results. The prevalence of tobacco use was 32.0% among students, while the most commonly used tobacco was cigarettes (60.8%). More than half the students (53.9%) had tobacco-related health problems. Despite that, the majority of participants (81.7%) reported that they wanted to quit, but 63.3% found it difficult to do so. It seems older students spent more money on tobacco (r = 0.495, p < 0.001), and that attitudes towards government control negatively correlated with education level (Pearson correlation = -0.097, p = 0.067). Conclusion: The results of this investigation may provide a foundation for interventions developed to facilitate tobacco cessation in college students by enhancing knowledge, belief, and action through education and social support systems.