The Prevalence, Effective Factors, and Nicotine Dependence Among Medical Students: A Cross-sectional Study
Year: 2023
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction: Cigarette smoking, quite common among medical students, may downgrade their academic performance. Additionally, initiation of smoking at an early age can increase the likelihood of developing nicotine addiction. This study aims to identify the contributing factors to smoking prevalence and nicotine dependence among medical students in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study collected data after obtaining participants’ consent and receiving the code of ethics. A checklist was used to meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Subsequently, the information was entered into SPSS software and analyzed. Results: Out of the 334 individuals who participated in the research, 150(44.9%) were male, and 58(17.4%) were smokers. Significant correlations were observed between smoking, gender, and educational level. The level of nicotine dependence was categorized as very low in 10 individuals (3%), low in 8(2.4%), moderate in 15(4.5%), high in 16(4.8%), and very high in 9(2.7%). Significant relationships were found between nicotine dependence in medical students and their gender and educational level. Conclusion: There is a relatively high rate of cigarette smoking among medical students, strongly associated with male gender and educational level. As a result, collaborative planning across departments seems necessary to implement preventative, advisory, and therapeutic measures at the societal and university levels.
Source: Tobacco and Health
DOI: 10.34172/thj.1100
Institution: Tabriz University of Medical Sciences
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4401288686