B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Nepal.
PLoS One. 2024 Jul 31;19(7):e0296592. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296592. eCollection 2024.
Despite declining smoking prevalence globally, South Asia faces a rising burden. In Nepal, existing tobacco control laws haven't curbed use, with 28.9% of young adults engaging in tobacco use. This study investigates tobacco use and associated factors among medical, dental, and nursing students at a Nepalese tertiary care center.
We aimed to assess tobacco use prevalence and identify factors associated with it among future healthcare professionals, considering their distinct roles in tobacco control. Medical students can contribute through clinical counseling and public health advocacy, dental students through oral health education, and nursing students through patient education and community outreach.
A cross-sectional study involving 427 medical, dental, and nursing students was conducted. Data was collected using online questionnaires distributed via email and social media. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were used for analysis.
The study found that 45% of participants were aged 22-25, with females comprising the majority (53.2%). Nearly half (49.2%) belonged to the medical faculty, and 24.4% were in their first year. Furthermore, among those who smoke, 53% reported smoking less than 5 cigarettes daily. The analysis revealed significant associations between smoking with age (p = 0.01), year of study (p = 0.001), parental smoking history (p = 0.001), and having friends who smoke (p = 0.001).
Our findings highlight the moderate prevalence of cigarette smoking among medical students, with family and friends emerging as major influences. Stress relief was a common reason, particularly among young females and first-year students. These results emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive tobacco control programs within medical institutions to equip future healthcare professionals to effectively address smoking issues.
尽管全球吸烟率呈下降趋势，但南亚地区面临着上升的负担。在尼泊尔，现有的烟草控制法并没有遏制烟草使用，28.9%的年轻人吸烟。本研究调查了尼泊尔一家三级保健中心的医学生、牙科学生和护理学生的烟草使用情况及其相关因素。
我们旨在评估未来医护人员的烟草使用流行率，并确定与其相关的因素，考虑到他们在烟草控制中的独特作用。医学生可以通过临床咨询和公共卫生宣传做出贡献，牙科学生可以通过口腔健康教育做出贡献，护理学生可以通过患者教育和社区外展做出贡献。
对 427 名医学生、牙科学生和护理学生进行了横断面研究。通过电子邮件和社交媒体分发在线问卷收集数据。采用描述性统计和卡方检验进行分析。
研究发现，45%的参与者年龄在 22-25 岁之间，女性占多数（53.2%）。近一半（49.2%）属于医学系，24.4%的人在一年级。此外，在吸烟的人中，53%的人每天吸烟少于 5 支。分析显示，吸烟与年龄（p=0.01）、学习年限（p=0.001）、父母吸烟史（p=0.001）和有吸烟朋友（p=0.001）显著相关。
我们的研究结果强调了医学生中香烟吸烟的中等流行率，家庭和朋友是主要影响因素。缓解压力是一个常见的原因，特别是在年轻女性和一年级学生中。这些结果强调了在医疗机构内实施全面的烟草控制计划的迫切需要，以使未来的医疗保健专业人员能够有效地解决吸烟问题。
