[Study of smoking behavior and smoking-related attitudes among preclinical medical students].

UNLABELLED

Despite the well-known fact that smoking is the most important cause of premature death, prevention of smoking in young people is still an unresolved public health problem. Smoking among medical students in particular should receive a special attention since smoking-related attitudes among health care professionals may act as role models among the patients.

OBJECTIVE

The main goal of the present study was to detect preclinical (year 1 and year 2) medical students' smoking status, smoking frequencies and smoking-related attitudes in Szeged.

METHOD

The whole sample consisted of 212 students, approximately 50% of the grades reported on their smoking status and smoking-related attitudes. Attitudes were measured by using a scale of The Students' Health and Lifestyle Study, The University of Western Ontario (Canada) that previously had been adapted.

RESULTS

The data show that frequency of smokers did not decrease but slightly increased as compared to the research results from the 1990s. Neither year 1 nor year 2 students showed gender differences according to their smoking status. More nonsmoking students accepted their own role model.

CONCLUSIONS

Besides interdisciplinary courses on the addictions, more practice-oriented and patient-centered courses are also needed to get the students familiar with basic principles of devices for smoking cessation. In addition, there is also a need for a program helping smoking medical students stop smoking.