Tobacco smoking among the first-year medical students

The studies have shown that despite studying medicine the rate of tobacco smokers among students is still high. Moreover, in Poland the incidence of smoking is increasing among the youngsters. The study was designed to assess the rate of smokers among the first-year students of two consecutive courses at the Medical University of Gdańsk and define their attitudes towards tobacco smoking. The voluntary, multiple-choice questionnaires were distributed among 412 students. The rate of response was 100%. Twenty one percent of responders were current smokers (17% females and 28% men), whereas 7% declared previous smoking. There was no correlation between incidence of smoking among students and their parents (p = 0.11). 61% of smokers declared the will to give up their habit and of those 94% were aware of the negative impact of cigarettes on their health. In the group which did not declare the will to quit smoking only 75% knew what the impact of cigarettes on their health was; p = 0.02. Only 23% of smokers considered anti-nicotine therapy effective. Almost a half of smokers considered nicotine replacement therapy ineffective for them in quitting cigarette smoking. Conclusion: The rate of smokers among the first-year medical students is lower than in general population, but it is still relatively high. However more than a half of smokers wants to give up their habit. Of those who are not willing to, 25% is not aware of the cigarettes’ impact on their health. These results call for further anti-nicotine actions

Postawy wobec palenia tytoniu wśród studentów I i VI roku medycyny z rocznika studiów 2002-2008

Wstęp: Zjawisko palenia tytoniu wśród studentów medycyny wskazuje, że studia medyczne nie stanowią wystarczającej bariery przed kontynuowaniem, a nawet rozpoczynaniem palenia. Celem badania była ocena postaw wobec palenia wśród studentów I i VI roku Wydziału Lekarskiego Gdańskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego z rocznika studiów 2002-2008. Materiał i metody: Wśród studentów rocznika studiów 2002-2008 dwukrotnie, na I i VI roku, rozprowadzono ankietę zawierającą pytania na temat kwestii związanych z paleniem tytoniu. W ankiecie adresowanej do studentów VI roku zawarto dodatkowe pytania, umożliwiające ocenę zmian w postawach studentów wobec palenia w trakcie studiów, a także poznanie opinii respondentów na temat nauczania na studiach rozpoznawania i leczenia zespołu uzależnienia od tytoniu (ZUT) oraz ich samooceny posiadanej wiedzy w tym zakresie. W badaniu wzięło udział 287 studentów I roku i 175 studentów VI roku badanego rocznika. Wyniki: Wraz z końcem studiów studenci istotnie rzadziej regularnie palili papierosy niż na I roku (13% v. 21%; p = 0,022), jednak co piąta paląca osoba (20%) zaczęła palić papierosy w trakcie studiów medycznych. Odsetek palaczy, którzy palili bez większego skrępowania, był istotnie niższy, niż na początku studiów (31% v. 70%; p = 0,0006), stwierdzono także znacząco wyższe odsetki palaczy deklarujących chęć porzucenia nałogu (91% v. 61%; p = 0,013) oraz codziennych palaczy, którzy chcieliby poddać się leczeniu uzależnienia od tytoniu (54% v. 22%; p = 0,001). Ponad połowa studentów VI roku przyznała, że nie ma żadnej wiedzy na temat rozpoznawania i leczenia ZUT lub ich wiedza na ten temat jest bardzo słaba lub słaba (57%). Aż 43% badanych stwierdziło, że studia medyczne w ogóle nie były dla nich źródłem wiedzy o ZUT. Wnioski: Studia medyczne wpływają na pozytywne zmiany postaw studentów wobec palenia tytoniu. Jednak część osób podejmuje palenie na studiach, co sugeruje dominujący udział czynników genetycznych nad środowiskowymi w rozpoczynaniu palenia w tym okresie życia. W opinii przyszłych lekarzy studia medyczne nie są wystarczającym źródłem wiedzy o ZUT.Introduction: The prevalence of smoking among medical students indicates that studying medicine is an insufficient protection from tobacco use. The aim of the study was an analysis of medical students’ attitudes towards smoking at the first and sixth year of their studies. Material and methods: A questionnaire on tobacco smoking was distributed among medical students of the study year 2002-2008 at the first and sixth year of their studies. The questionnaire used on the sixth year students included additional questions designed to assess changes in their attitudes towards smoking during their studies, to ask their opinion of the teaching of diagnostics and treatment of tobacco dependence (TD), and to discover how they evaluated their knowledge of the issue. The numbers of students who participated at the two points of the study were 287 and 175 respectively. Results: Students in their sixth year significantly less frequently smoked cigarettes regularly than those starting their medical education (13% v. 21%; p = 0.022). However, 20% of smokers started smoking during their studies. The proportion of smokers saying they were not embarrassed by their smoking habit was significantly lower among sixth-year students compared to first-year students (31% v. 70%; p = 0.0006), as were the numbers who said they wanted to quit smoking (91% v. 61%). Those who wished to undergo treatment for TD (54% v. 22%) were significantly higher among sixth year students group (p = 0.013 and p = 0.001, respectively). More than half (57%) the sixth-year students claimed that they had no knowledge of the diagnostics and treatment of TD, or that their knowledge on this issue was poor or very poor. In the opinion of 43% of students, the medical curriculum was not a good source of knowledge on TD. Conclusions: Medical studies induce positively students’ attitudes towards smoking. However, a proportion of individuals start smoking during studies, which may suggest dominance of genetic influences on smoking initiation in this period of life. In sixth-year students’ opinion, medical studies are not a sufficient source of knowledge on TD

Tobacco Smoking among the First-Year Medical Students

The studies have shown that despite studying medicine the rate of tobacco smokers among students is still high. Moreover, in Poland the incidence of smoking is increasing among the youngsters. The study was designed to assess the rate of smokers among the fi rst-year students of two consecutive courses at the Medical University of Gdańsk and defi ne their attitudes towards tobacco smoking. The voluntary, multiple-choice questionnaires were distributed among 412 students. The rate of response was 100%. Twenty one percent of responders were current smokers (17% females and 28% men), whereas 7% declared previous smoking. There was no correlation between incidence of smoking among students and their parents (p = 0.11). 61% of smokers declared the will to give up their habit and of those 94% were aware of the negative impact of cigarettes on their health. In the group which did not declare the will to quit smoking only 75% knew what the impact of cigarettes on their health was; p = 0.02. Only 23% of smokers considered anti-nicotine therapy effective. Almost a half of smokers considered nicotine replacement therapy ineffective for them in quitting cigarette smoking. Conclusion: The rate of smokers among the first-year medical students is lower than in general population, but it is still relatively high. However more than a half of smokers wants to give up their habit. Of those who are not willing to, 25% is not aware of the cigarettes’ impact on their health. These results call for further anti-nicotine actions

Medical Students’ Attitudes towards Tobacco Smoking at the First and Sixth Year of Their Studies 2002–2008

Introduction: The prevalence of smoking among medical students indicates that studying medicine is an insufficient protection from tobacco use. The aim of the study was an analysis of medical students’ attitudes towards smoking at the first and sixth year of their studies. Material and methods: A questionnaire on tobacco smoking was distributed among medical students of the study year 2002–2008 at the first and sixth year of their studies. The questionnaire used on the sixth year students included additional questions designed to assess changes in their attitudes towards smoking during their studies, to ask their opinion of the teaching of diagnostics and treatment of tobacco dependence (TD), and to discover how they evaluated their knowledge of the issue. The numbers of students who participated at the two points of the study were 287 and 175 respectively. Results: Students in their sixth year significantly less frequently smoked cigarettes regularly than those starting their medical education (13% v. 21%; p = 0.022). However, 20% of smokers started smoking during their studies. The proportion of smokers saying they were not embarrassed by their smoking habit was significantly lower among sixth-year students compared to first-year students (31% v. 70%; p = 0.0006), as were the numbers who said they wanted to quit smoking (91% v. 61%). Those who wished to undergo treatment for TD (54% v. 22%) were significantly higher among sixth year students group (p = 0.013 and p = 0.001, respectively). More than half (57%) the sixth-year students claimed that they had no knowledge of the diagnostics and treatment of TD, or that their knowledge on this issue was poor or very poor. In the opinion of 43% of students, the medical curriculum was not a good source of knowledge on TD. Conclusions: Medical studies induce positively students’ attitudes towards smoking. However, a proportion of individuals start smoking during studies, which may suggest dominance of genetic influences on smoking initiation in this period of life. In sixth-year students’ opinion, medical studies are not a sufficient source of knowledge on TD