[Smoking among medical students]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Medical Education
• Tobacco Control

Background:

• Smoking remains a significant public health concern globally.
• Understanding health professionals' perspectives on smoking is crucial for effective tobacco control strategies.
• Medical students' awareness and attitudes towards smoking can influence future public health initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess smoking prevalence among medical students.
• To evaluate awareness of smoking-related health risks between first-year and last-year students.
• To gauge support for tobacco control measures among medical students.

Main Methods:

• A statistical analysis was conducted on questionnaire data from 2089 first-year and last-year medical students across 9 institutes.
• Prevalence of daily smoking was calculated.
• Awareness levels and support for various tobacco control policies were compared between student groups.

Main Results:

• Daily smoking prevalence among medical students was 21.6%.
• Last-year students demonstrated 2-3 times higher awareness of smoking's association with diseases compared to first-year students.
• Non-smokers showed strong support for public smoking restrictions, tobacco sales bans to minors, and advertising prohibitions. Smokers were less supportive, with 53% reporting failed quit attempts.

Conclusions:

• Medical students' awareness of smoking-related health risks increases with academic progression.
• A significant proportion of medical students are smokers, with many experiencing difficulty quitting.
• The medical profession is seen as key in implementing smoking bans and interventions.