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Annual Congress of Malaysian Thoracic Society
PP 13
Perception, Knowledge And Attitude Of Secondary School Students
In Shah Alam, Selangor Towards Tobacco Smoking
M H M Mohamad, M K Mohamad Yunus, S N Z Mandrisan, N S Sies,
R N I S Raja Mat Yassin, B A Caszo
Faculty of Medicine, University Teknologi MARA, Selangor, Malaysia
Introduction
Tobacco smoking among school students and its associated health effects are major concerns to society.
The prevalence of tobacco smoking among school students is rising. A recent study in 2007 found the
prevalence of smoking among Malaysian school children was 43%.
Objectives
The purpose of our study was to look at knowledge, attitude and perception about tobacco smoking among
Form 4 students in Shah Alam, Malaysia.
Methodology
This study was conducted by distribution of a questionnaire developed as part of the Global Youth Tobacco
Survey by World Health Organisation to Form 4 students in 3 schools at Shah Alam.
Results: 10.5% of students were current smokers. 46.9% of the children came for families where one or both
parents smoked and 31 % of the parents never discussed consequences of smoking with them. 88.5% of the
students knew that smoking was harmful to their health and 84% felt the issue was covered well in class.
Most students felt that smoking made one less attractive. Though they felt that smokers were “stupid” to
smoke, 63% felt it would not affect their friendship with one.
Conclusion
Our study showed that even though Form 4 students in Shah Alam that we interviewed were knowledgeable of
the ill-effects of smoking and were taught about this as part of their school curriculum, 43% of them smoked.
Since around 44% of students’ fathers were smokers and around 30% of parents never discussed with their
children regarding the ill-effects of smoking, we feel that parents serve as role models that contribute to the
prevalence of smoking among school children.
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