Did unprogrammed tobacco control efforts over seven years decrease smoking prevalence in the medical school?

Abstract

Medical students will have significant roles in combating against death tool of tobacco. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether any decrease in the smoking prevalence of the medical students over seven years of many tobacco control efforts. A self-administered questionnaire was carried out among 764 of 854 (89.4%) medical students in order to determine the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors towards tobacco use. Chi-square tests, Student's t-test and multiple logistic regression methods were used. Results were compared with the historical control study that was done seven years ago with same methods. 25.9% of the students were smoker (36.6% of males, 16.3% of females), 4.9% was exsmoker and 69.2% was non-smoker. Quit rate was high among males than females (6.8% versus 3.3%, p< 0.05). When compared with historical cohort in 1999, smoking rate decreased only 3.8% for males and 5.5% for females, and quit rates were not higher. Lower curriculum year, and lower knowledge level about the harms of smoking and environmental tobacco smoke in lower grades, living in bachelor homes, easy access to smuggled cigarettes, using non-cigarette tobacco products were main factors for smoking. There was little decline in smoking rates of medical students despite of many local and national tobacco control efforts over seven years. Special attention and organized, programmed efforts are needed in medical schools in Turkey.