[Tobacco-related education in graduate, baccalaureate and associate degree programs in Korea]

The purpose of this research was to find out tobacco control education taught graduate, baccalaureate and associate degree-nursing programs in Korea.

A valid and reliable questionnaire previously used to assess tobacco use in medical and nursing schools in the United States was translated and revalidated. Surveys were sent out to all the graduate, baccalaureate and associate nursing programs in Korea. All 6-tobacco curricula content areas recommended by the United States National Cancer Institute and the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research was included.

Majority of BSN (93.2%-75%) and AD (92.3%-64.1%) programs were teaching health hazards, cancer risk, health effects of tobacco, effects of ETS, contents of cigarette, withdrawal symptoms and high risk groups of smoking as a part of required courses. However, 87.5% (14/16) of graduate, 50.0% (22/44) in baccalaureate, 53.8% (21/39) in associate degree programs were not teaching about the 5 A's. Of those who reported teaching smoking cessation strategies, they were covered most frequently in Community Nursing (50%), Adult Health Nursing (43.8%) on the graduate level, and in Community Nursing (65.9%-BSN, 76.9%-AD) and Adult Health (54.5%-BSN, 74.4%-AD) on the undergraduate level. 31.1% (5/16) in Graduate, 18.2%(8/44) in BSN, 10.3% (4/39) in Associate Degree programs reported that there are no smoking students in their schools and rest of the schools reported either do not know or they have 1 to more than 21% of students smoking.

The study results identifies the quantity and level of tobacco control content in three different nursing programs and will help in developing curricular guidelines in the future. Further survey needs to be done on nursing students' knowledge, attitude and belief on smoking and smoking cessation.