Tobacco Use Status of Medical Faculty Students and Evaluation of Affecting Factors.

Abstract

Objective:  The aim of the study is to determine the tobacco use status of first and fifth grade students studying at Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine in the 2022-2023 academic year and to evaluate the factors affecting tobacco use. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data of the cross-sectional study were obtained by sending a form prepared in electronic environment to the students after a brief information was given in the unit/classroom where they did their internship, and the students responded on their mobile phones. In research, 539 of 790 students answered the form.

Results:  The prevalance of tobacco use was 34.1% (first: 29.8%, fifth: 40.8%) (female: 26.7%, male: 40.4%). According to multivariate analysis, tobacco use in first grades increases 1.8 times (95% CI: 1.1-3.3) if the general health perception is moderate/poor, 2.9 times (95% CI: 1.2-6.8) to be exposed to insistence of friends for tobacco use, 2.4 times (95% CI: 1.3-4.3) for at least one of the family members to use tobacco, 29.7 times (95% CI: 3.9-224.1) for at least one of the close friends to use tobacco, and 3.9 times (95% CI: 2.2-7.1) not to think that physicians should set an example for the society by not using tobacco; in fifth grade, tobacco use by at least one of the close friends increases 9.6 times (95% CI: 2.1-43.6), and not thinking that physicians should set an example for the society by not using tobacco increases 4.9 times (95% CI: 2.7-9.2).

Conclusion:  In research, it is seen that tobacco use is common among medical faculty students, and the prevalance of use increases as they get higher classes.