##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##

We conducted this study to assess the attitude and practices of medical students towards tobacco smoking whilst knowing its hazards. This cross-sectional study was conducted by inviting students to complete an online anonymous questionnaire to ensure confidential, valid responses from January 2020 to March 2020. All of the MBBS students, from first year to final year, who were studying in that time period were included in this study. All statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0. (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Of the 1700 students, 385 students aged 17 to 26 years (mean age, 21 years) participated in this study. The prevalence of smoking among students was 23.1%. Smoking was significantly related to older age (p=0.000). Total of 137 (35.58%) students were passive smokers whereas 51 (13.24%) students were passive smokers in addition to being active smokers (P=0.000). The main motives for starting smoking were curiosity (53.93%), peer pressure (41.60%), and increased concentration (38.20%). Most of the students had knowledge of the prominent hazards of tobacco smoking like chronic lung diseases (95.06%), cancer in general (94.02%), and cardiovascular diseases (91.16%) but insufficient knowledge on other hazards. Educational lessons about smoking hazards (61.8%), prevention of smoking at universities, schools, and hospitals (59.0%), and increasing taxes on cigarettes (57.1%) were some suggestions put forward by students to prevent smoking. Smoking cigarettes remains a major threat among medical students. Although the vast majority of students showed a better attitude towards cigarette smoking prevention, they still lack sufficient knowledge about smoking hazards.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

  1. World Health Organization. WHO global report: mortality attributable to tobacco. Available from: https://www.who.int/tobacco/publications/surveillance/rep_mortality_attributable/en/.
     Google Scholar
  2. West R. Tobacco smoking: Health impact, prevalence, correlates and interventions. Psychology & health 2017;32(8):1018-1036.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar
  3. WHO|. Tobacco [Internet]. Who.int. Available from: https://www.who.int/substance_abuse/facts/tobacco/en/.
     Google Scholar
  4. Abdulateef DS, Ali AJ, Abdulateef DS, Mohesh MIG. Smoking Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices among Health Care Professionals from Sulaymaniyah City/Iraq. 2016;9:TUI.S38171.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar
  5. Organization WH. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco smoking 2000-2025. 2018.
     Google Scholar
  6. Shah N, Siddiqui S. An overview of smoking practices in Pakistan. Pakistan journal of medical sciences 2015;31(2):467-470.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar
  7. Wong CM, Yang L, Chan KP, Chan WM, Song L, Lai HK, et al. Cigarette smoking as a risk factor for influenza-associated mortality: evidence from an elderly cohort. Influenza and other respiratory viruses 2013;7(4):531-539.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar
  8. Organization WWH. Tobacco control in Pakistan. Available from: https://www.who.int/tobacco/about/partners/bloomberg/pak/en/.
     Google Scholar
  9. Karamat A, Arif N, Malik AK, Chaudhry A, Cheema MA, Rauf AJJTJotPMA. Cigarette smoking and medical students at King Edward Medical University, Lahore (Pakistan). 2011;61(5):509-512.
     Google Scholar
  10. Kasza KA, Ambrose BK, Conway KP, Borek N, Taylor K, Goniewicz ML, et al. Tobacco-product use by adults and youths in the United States in 2013 and 2014. 2017;376(4):342-353.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar
  11. Alexandrov LB, Ju YS, Haase K, Van Loo P, Martincorena I, Nik-Zainal S, et al. Mutational signatures associated with tobacco smoking in human cancer. 2016;354(6312):618-622.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar
  12. O'Keeffe LM, Taylor G, Huxley RR, Mitchell P, Woodward M, Peters SAE. Smoking as a risk factor for lung cancer in women and men: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ open 2018;8(10):e021611-e021611.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar
  13. Haig C, Carrick D, Carberry J, Mangion K, Maznyczka A, Wetherall K, et al. Current Smoking and Prognosis After Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: New Pathophysiological Insights. 2018.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar
  14. Office on S, Health. Publications and Reports of the Surgeon General. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US); 2006.
     Google Scholar
  15. Warren CW, Lee J, Lea V, Goding A, O'hara B, Carlberg M, et al. Evolution of the Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS) 1998–2008. 2009;16(2_suppl):4-37.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar
  16. Organization WH. Guidelines for controlling and monitoring the tobacco epidemic. 1998.
     Google Scholar
  17. Naeem M, Khan S, Abbas SH, Khan A, Islam Mzujjoms. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Tobacco Smoking Among Medical Students In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 2018;26(1):3-8.
     Google Scholar
  18. Mehmood A, Sarwar U, Ahmed W, Tahir H. Knowledge and practices among male medical students regarding smoking and its hazards. 2017 2017;4(8):7 %J International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences.
     Google Scholar
  19. Latif Z, Jamshed J, Khan MM. Knowledge, attitude and practice of cigarette smoking among university students in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study. 2017 2017;3(9):7 %J International Journal of Scientific Reports.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar
  20. Boopathirajan R, Muthunarayanan L. Awareness, Attitude and Use of Tobacco among Medical Students in Chennai. Journal of lifestyle medicine 2017;7(1):27-34.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar
  21. Willaing I, Ladelund SJN, research t. Smoking behavior among hospital staff still influences attitudes and counseling on smoking. 2004;6(2):369-375.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar
  22. Ali IS YN, Fatima G, Iftekhar H, Abbas M. Pattern of Smoking in Medical Students. J Rawalpindi Med Coll. 2013;17(1):140-143.
     Google Scholar
  23. Mumtaz B, Chaudhary IA, Arshad M, Samiullah. Comparison of smoking behaviour among medical and other college students in Rawalpindi. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak 2009;19(1):7-10.
     Google Scholar
  24. Khan FM, Husain SJ, Laeeq A, Awais A, Hussain SF, Khan JA. Smoking prevalence, knowledge and attitudes among medical students in Karachi, Pakistan. East Mediterr Health J 2005;11(5-6):952-958.
     Google Scholar
  25. Al-Haqwi AI, Tamim H, Asery A. Knowledge, attitude and practice of tobacco smoking by medical students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Annals of thoracic medicine 2010;5(3):145-148.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar
  26. Omair A, Kazmi T, Alam SE. Smoking prevalence and awareness about tobacco related diseases among medical students of Ziauddin Medical University. J Pak Med Assoc 2002;52(9):389-392.
     Google Scholar
  27. Jamal A, Homa DM, O’Connor E, Babb SD, Caraballo RS, Singh T, et al. Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults — United States, 2005–2014. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2015;64(44):1233-1240.
    DOI  |   Google Scholar


Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 > >>