Smoking Habits and Attitudes in Students of the Third Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Prague

Abstract

SUMMARYAim: This study seeks to assess smoking habits, attitudes and intention to quit in students of the Third Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.Methods: A cross-sectional survey designed to obtain information on smoking history, current smoking status, cessation attempts, and attitudes towards smoking among health professionals was conducted in 452 students of the first and last years of a 6-year Master's Study Programme (General Medicine) and a 3-year Bachelor's Study Programme (Public Health). An anonymous questionnaire was administered during the classes in the course of academic years 2011-12 and 2012-13.Results: 5.7% of the Master's Study Programme students (3.3% women and 9.0% men ) and 4.8% of the Bachelor's Study Programme students reported that they are regular smokers. The share of regular smokers was almost twice as big in students of the English Curriculum of the Master's Programme (10.7%) in comparison with the students of the Czech Curriculum (4.5%), and more than twice as big in students of the last years of both study programmes (3.9% in students of the 1st year and 10.8% in students of the 6th year of the Master's Programme; 3.2% in students of the 1st year and 7.0% in students of the 3rd year of the Bachelor's Study Programme). At the time of the research, 18.9% of students of the Master's Programme and 17.1% of students of the Bachelor's Programme were occasional smokers. 5.9% of students of the Master's Programme and 19.0% of students of the Bachelor's Programme reported that they quit smoking during their studies at the medical faculty; on the contrary, 9.8% of students of the Master's Programme and 14.3% of students of the Bachelor's Programme started smoking during that time.Conclusions: Smoking in health professionals undermines their significant role in health promotion and prevention of chronic diseases in their patients. Therefore, education at the medical faculty should focus on motivation of future health professionals towards non-smoking except providing knowledge on current research and guidance on early identification and further intervention in smokers.

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“…It is alarming that the decreasing trend of smoking is not registered in medical students who will become future health care professionals. The results of the study by Schneidrova, Koprivova, Šustakova, and Hynčica (2016) conducted on the sample of 452 medical students (Bs and Ms study programs) confirm this conclusion.…”

“…The following authors Rigotti, Lee, and Wechsler (2000); Choi, Pierce, Gilpin, Farkas, and Berry (1997); Staten, Rayens, and Ridner (2007); Ćurković (2010); and Schneidrova et al (2016), determined that on average 10%-15% students start smoking during studies. The increased number of smokers can be linked to rich social life of students, so-called "smoking as a social tool" with coffee, alcohol, etc.…”

“…Promotional campaigns, educational activities, and smoking cessation consultancy for members of the academic community are being implemented at medical faculties in Prague with the aim to combat smoking in faculties and hospitals. For the students who are considering quitting smoking, the Faculty offers support in the Students Counselling Centre (Schneidrova et al, 2016).…”

Alcohol Use Disorders among Slovak and Czech University Students: A Closer Look at Tobacco Use, Cannabis Use and Socio-Demographic Characteristics

“…When assessing tobacco use measured by the GN-SBQ score, the participants from both countries reported higher values (CZ: 12.21, SK: 14.17), which could be included in the second level of behavioural dependence, reflecting the prevalence of smoking in Central and Eastern Europe from the pre-pandemic period [ 50 , 51 ]. As this was a mean value, attention should be paid to this smoking-related indicator.…”

Vliianie tabakokureniia na reproduktivnyi potentsial zhenshchin (na primere Pridnestrov'ia)

“…На имеющиеся сложности при организации исследований масштабов и распространённости ТК и его профилактики среди молодёжи на государственном уровне указала Т.А. Голикова (2016) [52]. Поиск факторов риска ТК среди несовершеннолетних, их взаимосвязь с образом жизни подростков, влияние ближайшего окружения важен для создания результативных профилактических программ с доказанной эффективностью [90].…”