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Medical
MSM  BR

AmJCaseRep

Problem of nicotine among medical students

Giac Nguyen, Sylwia Kałucka

Med Sci Tech 2008; 49(2): RA123-127

ID: 881597

Available online:

Published: 2008-03-21


Introduction: All over the world one point three billion people smoke tobacco and 30% of population above fifteen years old smoke tobacco, what gives >1.1 billion smokers. Only in Europe the number of juvenile smokers increases by 500 thousand each year. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of smoking among Polish and foreign medical students at the Medical University of Lodz. Material and methods: The study surveys the sixth year students and foreign (English speaking) students who have been studying medicine at the Medical University of Lodz for a year. By means of author’s questionnaire there was gathered information about cigarette smoking habit among students. Results: The survey included 205 medical students of whom 109 were Polish (53.2%) and 96 were foreign (46.8%). Male students smoke cigarettes twice more often than female students. During studies about 28.3% of female students and 70.3% of male students smoked cigarettes. Among them 15.9% of women and 44.4% of men quitted smoking. In the group of foreign students there were no statistically significant differences concerning gender of the subjects among active smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers (p>0.05). The average age of starting smoking among both groups of students was 17 years. The percentage of smoking students is definitely higher in case of foreign students whose parents smoke. Conclusions: Better care for academic environment, students, future doctors and their non-smoking attitude should become the main object of health education at the Medical Universities of the 21st century. (Clin Exp Med Lett 2008; 49(2): 123-127)

Keywords: cigarette smoking, Medical Students



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