Determinants of Willingness to Accept Secondhand Smoke Exposure.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, the objective was to assess determinants of willingness to accept secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure among dental students.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 420 dental students. Multiple linear regression analyses assessed the determinants of willingness to accept SHS exposure.

RESULTS

A total of 336 students completed questionnaires. The multivariate model showed a direct relationship of increased willingness to accept SHS exposure with being a smoker (β = 19.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 14.2 to 24.1, p < .0001), presence of a smoker in the household (β = 10.6, 95% CI = 6.2 to 15.1, p < .0001), presence of a smoker in a friends/relatives' house (β = 8.6, 95% CI = 4.6 to 12.5, p < .0001), and being a man (β = 7.3, 95% CI = 3.1 to 11.5, p = .001). There was an inverse relationship with increased knowledge of health risks (β = -.215, 95% CI = -.402 to -.028, p = .025).

CONCLUSIONS

The willingness to accept SHS exposure was positively associated with the presence of a smoker in the household or in a friends/relatives' house, being a smoker, and being a man. Knowledge of health risks showed an inverse association.