Factors Affecting Abstinence from Smoking from the Point of View of Non-Smokers. A Field Study Applied to Saudi Youth

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the factors influencing smoking abstinence from the point of view of male and female Saudi youth who do not smoke. The study relied on social survey approach through an intentional sample of 421 Saudi youth who are non-smokers.

The study found that the health factor and the fear for public health were the primary factors in smoking abstinence at a rate of 78.9, followed by social factor and reputation concern at 42.9.

The study also found that there was a statistically significant difference in the effects of the gender variable on aesthetic factor in terms of fear of the effects of smoking on beauty and avoiding the smell of smoke, as the value of the probability of significance reached 0.00, which is less than the level of significance 0.001. Thus, there is a high statistically significant difference between males and females in favour of females, i.e. females are more careful in avoiding smoking because of the aesthetic factor than males.

The study recommended that further studies be undertaken on smoking, especially those examining the factors preventing smoking, and the extent of change in the smoker's stereotype and the reasons for changing the smoker's social perception if any.